


Undercover Lessons

by DKSculder



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, F/M, Friendship, MSR
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-04
Updated: 2016-10-11
Packaged: 2018-08-19 11:30:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 24,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8204596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DKSculder/pseuds/DKSculder
Summary: Scully is requested on an undercover assignment straight from Quantico Academy. Mulder has already been working the case, but neither know the other is undercover, or that they're working for the same team. Things get interesting as they become closer, but will they ever uncover the truth?





	1. Chapter 1

"Miss Scully, we apologize for pulling you out of class like this, but we would like to propose something to you that we could use your assistance on." Director Hannon said carefully. 

"Sure, anything I can help with." She said confidently, yet curious as to why she was chosen. Dana Scully had only left the world of medicine to join the FBI Academy in Quantico, VA almost a year ago. She was still a new agent, and her mind wondered why she was chosen for whatever task they deemed her suitable to take on. 

"Great, we have an active case, that's currently our top priority. It's been in motion for about a month, and we already have 3 agents on the inside. It's an undercover assignment, but you would have contact with us every day. With your background in medicine, we could use your scientific expertise. There's been a string of rapes and murders amongst the female students on campus at Georgetown University, and we believe our main suspect is one of the professors. We would need you to go undercover, as a student, so you would have full access to the labs. We think he's drugging them with an unknown substance, but we haven't been able to detect it during the autopsies. We're hoping you can help us finish this." He explained thoroughly. 

"Well that's definitely a challenge, but I - I'm up for the task. Would I be meeting with the other agents before I go in?" 

"Not exactly...whoever is doing this, we seem to think he's getting inside information, staying one step ahead of us every time we get close enough to nail him." Hannon let out a heavy sigh. "We think one of our guys on the inside is corrupt, and we need you to stay objective in your research. They won't know we are sending you in, and you won't know who they are." 

"I understand." She said with a shaky breath. Scully knew that she needed to accept this, to prove to herself that she didn't make the wrong decision, and to prove to her family that she was doing something meaningful. "I would like to assist, help in any way that I can." 

"Perfect, we'll get you connected first thing tomorrow, brief you on your cover, and help you get situated in your dorm." Hannon said with dismissal. 

Scully made her way back to her apartment to pack for her new assignment. Her anxiety was washing over her, but this was what she needed to promote herself as a qualified agent. She never backed down from a challenge, and mentally prepared herself for what was to come. 

The next morning she made her way to the rundown apartment that the rest of the team was staked out in. The agents camped out there would be her eyes and ears, and only connection to the outside world. She was already briefed that morning, and instructed to disconnect herself from her family and friends, leaving no room for her cover to be blown. 

"You must be Agent Scully. I'm Agent Hahn, and that's Rodriguez and Edwards. We'll be the people annoying you in your ear from time to time." He said lightly. She smiled at him and reveled in the sound of 'agent' in front of her name. 

"It's nice to meet you all. You'll be my contacts on the outside then?" 

"That we will, don't worry, we won't ruin your reputation too much." Edwards joked. She chuckled, knowing she was in for an experience. 

She finished her meeting, and made her way to the dorm that had been assigned to her. She scoffed as she entered, and let her stuff fall to the floor. She had been through college, and med school, and was back in a dorm the size of a closet. She was just relieved that she didn't have a roommate. 

She settled her things in the small room, and went for a walk to take in her surroundings. As she strolled through the campus, she noticed the students galavanting around, and smiled at the once familiar settings. She was always the straightforward, serious student, she never allowed herself a chance for much fun. She vowed that this experience would be different. 

The next morning, Scully had her first class, and she was already nervous. Her cover was solid, a transfer student from San Diego, top of her class in the medical program. Since she moved around so much in her youth, assuming a new persona wasn't going to be difficult to maneuver. She glanced at her class schedule, and sighed at the first class of the day, criminal psychology. It would be difficult for her to tone down the academic competitiveness that surged through her. 

She looked around at the students as they entered class, and began studying the room. In her mind, everyone was a suspect, and she needed to stay vigilant. Everyone began to settle down as a man entered the front of the lecture hall. She took particular interest in the professor, knowing that he could be the prime suspect they've been after. She watched as he enthusiastically preached about the mind set it takes to catch a criminal. She had never had a professor with such exuberance for what they taught, though he was rather younger than she expected. His defined features and warm, hazel eyes definitely caught her attention as well. 

"Okay, but wouldn't science be able to give us the evidence in the case? Suppose he is actually crazy, wouldn't the guy just get off with an insanity plea?" A student argued from the back of the room. 

"That's a possibility, but what if regardless of the obvious symptoms he presents, science can't prove the guy's nuts. When convention and science offer us no answers, might we not finally turn to the fantastic as a plausibility?" Professor Fox said. 

"Are you suggesting that we should open our minds to extreme possibilities and believe the guy's tale that he is simply psychic, and had nothing to do with the murders?" Scully asked in disbelief. She didn't realize she was talking until she heard her own voice. So much for keeping a low profile. 

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting, Miss...?" He paused.

"Williams. Katherine Williams." Scully said with confidence, maintaining her cover.

"Well, Miss Williams, would it be so unlikely that he did simply receive these visions, allowing him to detail every inch of each crime scene?" 

"Logically, I would have to say yes. Sure, there's been several well documented cases involving psychic abilities, but why should we search beyond the realms of science? The answers are there, you just have to know where to look for them." She said with a challenge in her voice.

"Conventional wisdom. I admire that." He said with a smirk before moving on to another student. She bit her lip, hiding her own smile that began to touch her mouth. 

The rest of the class flew by, and she had never found a class so exhilarating. She didn't realize the class was over until other students began gathering their things around her. 

"Miss Williams, may I have a word?" Professor Fox asked distractedly. She made her way to the front of the lecture hall and the nervousness began to cloud around her. She was specifically instructed to maintain a low profile, and knew that arguing the teacher's lecture was exactly the opposite of that notion. 

"You wanted to see me?" She asked cautiously. 

"I was impressed with your knowledge today, you just transferred here, correct?" 

"Thank you, and yes I did."

"Not much for small talk I see?" He said with a smirk. 

"Is that what this is? Small talk?" She said with a raise of the eyebrow. 

"Well it was a failed attempt, clearly. I look forward to having you in my class this semester. Make sure you study up on some more of that conventional wisdom of yours for Wednesday's class." He said with a mischievous smile before making his exit. 

Scully stood in the front of the class, completely enthralled by the fascinating professor. She knew she had to remain detached from anyone she met during this case, but was finding that task more difficult as the first day passed. 

She made her way to her next class, which happened to be a Biology lab. As she situated herself at table, she noticed the professor walk in with a group of coeds following and giggling to themselves. Scully assessed the man, and acknowledged the obvious physical attributes that he had, but was genuinely puzzled about the friendliness of the teachers at this University. Her lab partner sat next to her, and she let out a heavy sigh, knowing this was going to be her first true test to blend into her cover. 

"The teachers are very friendly here, huh?" She said lightly, nodding towards Professor Johnson in the front of class, flirtatiously smiling at the students. 

"You must be new here." She said sarcastically. "It's been rumored that Johnson has dabbled in the student pool a few times. He's definitely not the only one. There's a new criminal psych teacher that's new this semester but already has some stories to his name. Don't even get me started on the theater folk." She said as Scully chuckled. 

"Well thanks for the info, I am new here, actually. I'm Katherine." She said as she extended her hand. 

"Name's Riley. Where you from, fresh meat?" 

"Nowhere near here. I'm from San Diego, just transferred this semester. I'm part of the pre-med program." 

"Look at you, Einstein. I'm just in this class as a requirement, so don't mind me if I copy your notes, oh, every class." She teased. Scully smiled, enjoying the conversation. She didn't talk to many people during her college years, and took the opportunity to do things differently. "Hey, you busy tonight?" 

"Uh, no, this is my last class today, so I'm free after that." 

"Perfect, come check me out tonight at the club just off campus. I'm the bartender, I'll hook you up, keep you refreshed." Riley teased.

"Oh, uh, sure. Sounds like fun." Scully answered timidly. She knew she should be blending in, and hoped she didn't blow her cover in anyway. This assignment was definitely more challenging than she originally anticipated. 

That evening, when it came time for Scully to make her way to the club, her nerves began to take over. She didn't know if she could pull this off, and didn't have any reinforcements to help. She rummaged through her closet, trying to find something that would deem club appropriate. She pulled out a lower cut top, fitted black jeans, and left her hair in somewhat of a natural curly mess. She sighed before heading out of her small dorm room. 

Just as she was making her way off campus, she passed the semi-open door of Professor Fox's classroom and peered inside. She could see him talking with a female student, and crept closer. She knew the MO of the perp that they were trying to catch, and couldn't imagine that he could be that guy, but the sight before her set the doubt in her mind. As he leered at the student, her stomach began to turn, thinking this innocent girl could be his next victim. 

"Professor Fox, I didn't realize you were still he-" She said, interrupting their private conversation. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you." 

"No, no, it's okay. Leslie here just had some questions about our first assignment." He said calmly, the other student seeming annoyed. 

"Oh, that's what I was coming to ask about as well, but I can wait to address my questions during actual office hours." 

"We were just heading out." He said gesturing to Leslie to exit the classroom. She scoffed and stomped out of the class. He gathered his things and began to make his way towards the door where Scully was standing. "So you had a question?" He asked, standing in her personal space. 

"I seem to have forgotten it now, again, sorry for bothering you." 

"Rescuing me, actually. Leslie is a very, persistent, student." He said carefully.

"It didn't appear like you felt you needed rescuing." She said as her eyebrow began to rise. They were walking slowly through the halls, towards the parking lot in the front of the school. 

"I see your criminal investigative skills are better already, my class really does do wonders." He teased. 

"Oh, of course." She said sarcastically. "I'm sorry for bothering you again, I'll see you in class Wednesday." She said as she made her way in the opposite direction. 

"See you then, Miss Williams." He said as he waved at their parting. "Oh, and you look very nice tonight." He said turning before she could see the full smirk on his face. Color instantly rose to her cheeks, and she bit her lip to hide her own smile. This case was getting more interesting by the minute. 

Scully entered the club, and glanced around to find Riley. She spotted her at the bar, and fought her way through the crowd. 

"Einstein! You made it! What are you drinking?" Riley asked as she was making several other orders. 

"I'm actually good, just a soda for tonight." She said timidly. 

"Alright goody goody, coming right up." She teased with a chuckle. 

Scully scanned her surroundings, making visual notes of the scene. She noticed several fully wasted students, but none that seemed too inebriated to function. She was broken from her mental investigation by the ringing of her phone. She recognized the fake name, and excused herself to take the call outside. 

"Hello?"

"Agent Scully, are you in a safe place to talk?" Edwards asked. She separated herself further from the crowd, and walked around the back of the club. 

"I am now, yes. What's up?" 

"We were just calling to see how your first day went. See if anything or anyone peaked your interest." 

"Well, uh, there are several professors that are rather friendly with their coed students, but none that are standing out as criminal. I'm actually at the club that two of the victims were last seen at, so I'm hoping to find something that can give us a stronger lead." 

"Perfect, sounds like you're already doing better than the other 3 agents we have inside. Give us a call tomorrow with an update, don't have too much fun." He teased. She chuckled as she hung up the phone, making her way back inside. 

She situated herself at the bar again, and made casual conversation with Riley as she worked. Scully remained scanning the room, until she noticed something that looked suspicious on the other side of the club. There was a girl who seemed to be falling over out of her seat, and her friends were trying to wake her  up. She began to make her way over to the area, and stopped in her tracks as she saw Professor Fox come in to the rescue. She held back slightly, hiding in the crowd that began to gather around the scene, and watched the events unfold. 

He gathered the student up in his arms, and frantically made his way out to his car. He notified those following him that he would drive her to the hospital, and Scully was immediately on high alert. She phoned in to the agents, making them aware of the situation, and they instructed her not to follow because it could blow her cover. She was frustrated, but they assured her that they would be on his detail. She let out a heavy sigh and ended her evening early, already exhausted from her first day. 

Wednesday morning, Scully reluctantly made her way to her criminal psych class, not sure about what to expect. She was puzzled when she spotted Professor Fox situating his belongings in the front of the lecture hall, preparing for the day. She hadn't spoken with anyone from the outside team, and felt completely in the dark about the current situation. 

"Alright class, we have a new lesson today, going to change some things up." He said with a slight annoyance in his voice. "Today we divulge into the mind of serial rapists." He said sternly. 

The class began to mutter amongst themselves, already hearing about the events that transpired the few nights before. Scully's breath caught in her throat, and she had to swallow the gasp before it escaped. She was curious as to what game he was playing, but knew she couldn't be thrown off her own now. 

He began to preach his lesson, leaving no room for questioning. His delivery was intense, and the class fell silent almost immediately. He paused, the anger rising in his eyes, and asked if anyone had questions. She could sense the fury flowing through him, and knew she needed answers, fast. No one participated, terrified of the current state of their normally laid back teacher, so he dismissed class early. He angrily grabbed his things, and flew out of the classroom before some of the students even had a chance to catch their breath. 

"Hey, it's Agent Scully, what the hell happened the other night? I haven't heard from anyone." She asked quietly as she made her way back to her dorm. 

"Nothing, the guy took her to the hospital, and she's had a guard since then. We were actually going to call you, we hope you can find something in her blood that can help us pinpoint what the bastard is using on them." Rodriguez answered passively. 

"Of course. Just send the samples to the lab and I'll take a look. Wait, did you say he brought her in?" She asked incredulously. 

"Yeah, he drove her straight here, so we were able to get the blood reserved right away. He wasn't our guy, just someone doing the right thing." 

"Huh, he just seemed - off, today." 

"You've been in contact with the guy that brought her in?" 

"Oh, he's one of the professors of the classes I'm assigned to, why?" 

"No reason, we didn't know his connection, thanks for the insight, let us know as soon as you have results." Rodriguez said before disconnecting the call quickly. Scully looked at her phone puzzled by the conversation, but shrugged it off, knowing she had a busy afternoon ahead of her. 

As she made her way to the lab, Riley came running up beside her. 

"Hey Einstein, class is the other way." She teased. 

"Oh, yeah, I have an assignment for my pre-med program that I'm already falling way behind on, so I'm just using the free lab. You might actually have to pay attention today." Scully teased. 

"Alright fine, but don't expect to copy my notes." Riley joked back before making her way towards their shared class. 

Scully let out a heavy sigh, proud of her ability to maintain her cover. She entered the empty lab, and found the samples waiting for her. She began to investigate the blood, and run her tests. When she received the results, she couldn't believe the amount of drugs mixed together to create the cocktail that was attacking these women. 

"Agent Scully, what do you have for us?" Edwards said, answering the phone. 

"Something, I hope. I ran the toxicology reports, and it's amazing that girl even made it to the hospital alive. I already faxed over the report to you guys, so you can see for yourself. Based on the rate it hit her system, she would have had to digest them in either her food or her drinks." 

"This is all great, we'll have our other lab tech look these reports over, and follow up with you tomorrow. Great job Agent Scully, this could be one of the first major breaks in this case." He said before disconnecting the call. 

She stood in the lab, feeling prideful in her work. After hours on her feet, she was ready to head back to her small space of solitude. She began to pack up her things, not hearing someone enter from the back of the room. 

"Miss Williams, I missed you in my class today." Professor Johnson said as he leaned against the frame of the door. 

"Oh, sorry, I, uh, had a project that I needed to finish. I'll make sure to get the notes from another student." She said softly, gathering her things quicker, beginning to feel uneasy. 

"I could always extend my office hours if you have any questions." He said smoothly. 

"Thanks, I'll let you know if I need the extra help." She said as she approached the door to exit. He made no move to unblock the entry way, and her fear rose. 

"Leaving so quickly?" He asked, stepping towards her. 

"I, uh, need to get started on some homework for my other classes. I-" She stammered. 

"Miss Williams, Johnson, how are you both doing this fine afternoon?" Professor Fox said, seeming lighter than his earlier mood. 

"Samuel Fox, what brings you to this side of the campus?" Johnson asked slightly annoyed. Scully exhaled heavily with relief. 

"I told you, call me Sam. I was just roaming around the halls, having some extra time on my hands. I didn't mean to bother you." He said, flashing a smirk at Scully, recalling their conversation the evening she walked in on him talking with Leslie. She smiled slightly back at him, bowing her head. 

"No bother, _Sam_ , we were just finishing up. Excuse me." Johnson said as he exited the lab uncomfortably. 

"Sorry for interrupting." He teased. 

"Rescuing, actually." She said softly. 

"Yeah, I could sense you were a little uncomfortable. He definitely lives up to his reputation, usually his prospects aren't so resilient. I think you threw him off his game." He said as he bumped her shoulder with his. She let out a small chuckle, and finally turned her head up to face him. 

"I would like to think there's a compliment in there somewhere." 

"Oh, definitely. You've been impressing me since your first day here." 

"Wow, a whole 3 days, huh?" She teased. "Thanks, though." She said shyly. She immediately sobered, knowing she needed to get as far away from this situation before she repeated her past mistakes. 

In med school, it was her mentor that she fell head over heels for, and his love for her was intense. It wasn't until he began to control her life, thinking he knew what was best for her, that she felt smothered. She ran, as far away as she could, which is eventually how she ended up with the FBI. It was there that she met Jack Willis, and again, fell to her old habits. That relationship was freshly healing, and she felt this case was the perfect thing to get her away from the mess she created back at Quantico. She wouldn't allow herself to fall for another superior, especially while undercover on an active case. 

"You alright there?" He said, nudging her again with his arm. She didn't even realize they were walking in the direction of her dorm until he broke her from her thoughts. 

"Yeah, sorry. Sometimes my mind tends to wander. Thank you, again, for tonight." She said before flashing him a small smile and briskly making her way to her dorm. He stood there, watching the tiny redhead hurry off shyly, knowing he was already going to find himself in trouble with her. 

When she first spoke up in his class, he was instantly captivated by her mind, and her subtle beauty. He knew he was trudging on dangerous waters, seeking more of a contact with her, but he found himself mesmerized, and unable to stay away. He let out a heavy sigh as he made his way back to his car, conflicted about his feelings. It wasn't until his phone rang that he came back to the real world. 

"Yeah?" 

"Agent Mulder, we were just calling to check in, could you stop by the apartment on your way home?" Hahn asked. 

"Yeah, sure, I'll be there soon." He said before disconnecting the call. He settled himself in the car, staring ahead with his hands on the wheel, not moving. He knew it was against every rule in the book to become involved with someone during a case, even more so as he was a professor, and she was a student. Fox Mulder let out a heavy sigh, unaware of how complex this undercover assignment was about to become. 


	2. Chapter 2

The rest of the first week passed by uneventfully, and it was the night of the welcome back fair to start off the second week of school. Several of the school clubs and local businesses had booths set up in the common area, allowing students the opportunity to find their place on campus. Scully already knew it was necessary to be extra vigilant, knowing it could be the perfect place for the perp to choose his next victim. She laid low as she strolled through the main common area, scanning the surroundings. 

"See anything you like?" A voice came from behind, startling her. 

"Professor Fox! You scared me." She said, catching her breath. 

"A little jumpy there, aren't we, Miss Williams?" He teased. 

"Guess so, sorry." She said distractedly, maintaining her surveillant eye.

"You know, I thought we were getting better at this whole small talk thing." 

"I guess old habits die hard." She smirked with a shrug of her shoulders. "I guess I'm just a little distracted. Uh, adjusting to a new school is never easy, no matter how many times I do it." She mumbled. 

"Move around a lot?" He asked intrigued. 

"Oh, uh, yeah something like that. Recently, I just transferred in from San Diego." She said, almost enjoying the moment too much, forgetting she was undercover. 

"Definitely a change then. So you thinking about joining any clubs this semester?" 

"That's not really my thing, I'm more of a 'stay inside and read a book' kinda person. So unless it's a science club, probably not." She scoffed.

"You say that like it's a bad thing?" 

"I just promised myself that I would try new things here, make different choices than I did at my last school. I don't know, that's a lot harder than I thought." She said softly. He smiled at the shy student, losing his willpower by the minute. Just as he was about to ask her on an unofficial date, there was a loud commotion at the other end of the courtyard. 

They both stopped in the their stride, and turned abruptly at the loud shriek. They began to make their way through the crowd to find the source. He instinctively put his arm out in front of her in a protective stance, guarding her from the scene. She placed her hand on his shoulder subconsciously, leaning forward to see what happened. Before her was a clearly distressed student, hysterically crying, attempting to wake up her unconscious friend. 

Just as Mulder stepped forward to take charge of the situation, Professor Johnson swooped in, offering to take the student to the hospital. Everything about the situation red flagged in Mulder's mind, and he needed to get a detail on the science teacher immediately. 

"I, uh, have to go. I'll see you tomorrow in class." He said distractedly, puzzling Scully about his quick change in demeanor. 

"Oh, sure. I'll see you then." She said, knowing she needed to make a call to the agents as well. She picked up the phone to alert the others, not wanting to miss the opportunity to catch him. 

"Hey, it's Agent Scully, there's been-" 

"Yeah, we already know. One of the other agents was around the area and already informed us. We got the detail on the guy's car, but he hasn't left campus. He took her to the health office, from what one of the details was able to inform us, but we haven't heard anymore. Can you sneak over to that building, see if you're able to get closer?" Rodriguez instructed. 

"Sure, I'll call you with an update as soon as I know more." She said disconnecting the call to creep over to the health building. She blended into the crowd to make her way there, falling subject to the shadows she was attempting to hide in. 

She approached the health building, and could hear voices mulling around inside. As she entered, she saw movement, and hid in the first room she could find. She listened intently, trying to hear the conversations happening around her. The only thing she could clearly make out, were the mumbled voices of a man and a frantic younger woman. 

"You told me it wouldn't be this bad! She's barely alive!" The younger woman exclaimed. 

"That's not going to be a concern much longer anyway. I just need you to create the diversion so I can get her out of here." He seethed. 

"Fine, but I'm done after this. I can't keep doing this crap." 

"You have more to lose than I do, remember that. Go create your diversion, and lead the feds that are watching me, away. Somehow my last conquest was busted, and I needed to make my next move fast." 

"Yeah, well lucky her. Find yourself another minion for your plans, and keep up your end of the bargain. I helped you, and kept her sadistic secret, which means you keep mine." 

"Whatever, I just need to get out of here before they come rushing in, not that they could prove anything here anyway. Go!" He barked at his accomplice. 

Scully tried to peek her head out of the door to at least catch a glimpse of who was talking. She thought she could make out Johnson's voice, but didn't want to jump to the wrong conclusions and jeopardize everything. Just as her eyes caught sight of him, confirming her suspicions, she was yanked out from the door she was hiding behind. 

"You made a huge mistake, I'm so sorry." Riley said worriedly, before backhanding Scully in the face, causing her to hit her head against the wall, knocking her out cold. 

Mulder was arriving to the health office after getting in contact with one of the other agents on campus. They both tried to contact the third, but they were unreachable. The two briskly made their way to where Johnson had taken the girl, but were diverted when there was another commotion towards the other end of campus again. 

"Should we split up? We can't lose his detail." Mulder asked frantically. 

"I don't know, we don't know if he's working alone, or what kind of protection he has. Where the hell is James?!" Collins said, completely sporadic in thought. 

"I don't know, just-" Mulder began to stammer before hearing the back door slam at the end of the corridor. They turned their attention back inside, and jumped into action. Just as they entered, they could hear the tires squealing away from the back parking lot. "Dammit!" Mulder yelled, knowing they just missed him. 

They had to take precaution with this whole case. There was never any physical evidence on the bodies that they could compare to their prime suspect, and busting in on him here wouldn't prove anything, only scare him off. He only found some small solace in the fact that they had a detail on his car. 

"What the hell happened here?!" Agent James said coming in through the main door. 

"He blew through the back, where the hell were you?!" Collins exclaimed.

"I was trying to find the source of all the yelling over by the fair. Just some kids who set off a few firecrackers in one of the booths. The fire department has it under control now." James explained. 

"Well, I've got some more great news." Mulder interrupted as he slammed his phone shut. "He didn't take his car, whoever has been helping him supplied him with a getaway, so now we have nothing." He yelled as he threw his phone against the wall, shattering it. 

"Shit, we aren't getting any closer to nailing this guy. We all know it's Johnson, why can't we just bring him in?" Collins said annoyed. 

"Because we don't have anything solid on him. Bringing him in would be pointless, and just give him the chance to run and pull these stunts at another University." James shot back. 

"James is right, we can't risk it without concrete evidence. Let's just regroup with the other guys back at the apartment, and figure out our next plan." Mulder said with a heavy sigh. 

* * *

Scully woke up, and groggily took in her surroundings. As she focused her eyes, she realized she was in an unfamiliar apartment, bound by her hands and feet. The fear began to wash over her, and she attempted to control her breathing, unsure of how to proceed given the current predicament. When she signed on, she was instructed to never break cover, but she didn't know if that rule applied when one is kidnapped. 

"Good, you're awake. I was worried she knocked you out too hard." Johnson said calmly as he approached from the other room. Scully's eyes instantly went wide, and she cleared her throat, hoping to mask the fear in her voice. 

"Why am I here?" She asked cautiously. 

"Two for one, the way I see it. However, Riley just thought you saw too much. I'm inclined to agree." He said stepping towards her. She held her breath, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing how terrified she truly was. She knew breaking her cover now would only jeopardize her life more. 

"I didn't see anything, I just got scared because I thought I heard something, and hid in the room." She said frantically, trying to maintain the ruse she created. 

"That's a shame, wrong place, wrong time. Works out for me though." He leered at her. She cringed with disgust, and turned her head away from him. 

"Why do you do this anyway?" 

"That's a question I've often asked myself. I don't know, mommy issues, neglected childhood, rejection from the female gender growing up...what other possible causes did your criminal psych professor teach you?" He said with a smug grin. 

She just closed her eyes, and bowed her head with a heavy sigh. She knew she wasn't going to get anywhere with him, and tried to fight back the tears that stung her eyes. She hadn't made many friends in her first week here, and the only one she did, was apparently working against her. She scoffed at her failed investigative skills, and questioned whether this was truly what she was supposed to be doing. He finally left her alone with her thoughts, and the tears began to fall freely. 

The next day, Mulder distractedly made his way to his lecture. He was still annoyed from the events that played out the night before, and from getting his ass chewed out by Director Hannon about losing the guy. As he began to rant about whatever lesson he was teaching that day, he noticed the empty seat in his class. It threw him off for a minute, making him stumble on his words, until he was able to compose his thoughts again. He knew he shouldn't be worried about a student missing one class, but she wasn't just any student, not to him. His feelings were conflicted when it came to her, and he knew he was playing with fire. 

He finished his lecture early and made his way to the admissions office to find out what dorm Katherine Williams resided in. He acquired the information, and made the way to his destination, the nervousness building inside of him already. He knocked several times, each going unanswered. He finally took a chance to turn the knob, and the door opened with ease. He peered inside, and noticed that all of her things were still there, and her bed was left untouched the night before. He began to worry, and the anger inside of him instantly rose, already placing blame.

Mulder rushed to the science building, fury burning in his eyes. He threw open the door to Johnson's classroom, and startled the other professor. 

"Sam, what brings you-" He began to say, before being cut off by Mulder throwing him up against the wall, pinning him with his arm. "What the hell is your problem?!" Johnson screamed, trying to fight him off. 

"Where is she?!" Mulder screamed in his face, rage washing over him. 

"I don't know who you're talking about." 

"You know damn well who I'm talking about. Where the hell is she?!" 

"I didn't know you took so much interest in your coed students. I guess the rumors are true." He said smugly. Mulder slammed him against the wall again. 

"Uh, interrupting something here?" Riley asked as she approached the situation carefully. "I was just coming to finish my lab before class, but you might want to break up your little pow wow before the other students begin showing up." 

Mulder glared at her, and released Johnson back to a standing position. He finally turned his position back to the disheveled professor, and stepped into his personal space. 

"I will find her, and if anything's happened to her, I will come after you with every force I have." Mulder seethed. Johnson scoffed sporting a smug grin, and watched him leave his classroom. 

"What the hell was that about?" Riley asked as she settled her things at her lab table.

"That - was him giving me the leverage I need to get out of this untouched." She gave him a confused look, knowing she needed to find out more answers later. 

Mulder briskly made his way to the apartment that the other agents were camped out in, and blew through the door. He knew he could get himself taken off this case, revealing what truly brought him here, so he needed to play this carefully. 

"Mulder? What are you doing here?" Hahn asked casually, surprised to see one of his agents unannounced. 

"Have we heard anymore information about the girl, or his location?" 

"Nah, he went off the grid. We ran the plates of the car he drove here this morning, but it came up empty. Whoever is helping him knows what they're doing. We put a detail on both of the cars, but we don't think he'll be stupid enough to go back to wherever he has them tonight." 

"Did, uh, have any other disappearances been reported?" Mulder asked craftily. 

"Not to us. Why? Do you think he took another student?" Rodriguez asked. 

"I'm not sure, there's-" He let out a heavy sigh. "I have a student who I was speaking with just before the whole thing went down, she wasn't in class today, or her dorm room. I don't know, maybe it's nothing." 

"Just give us her name, and we'll look into it for you, keep an ear out." Edwards said with an amused smile. 

"Katherine Williams. Just, uh, let me know if you hear anything." He said as he began to gather his things and make his exit. 

"Wait, you said Katherine Williams?" Hahn asked, matching the amused smile on Edwards' face. 

"Uh, yeah, why?" 

"Just making sure we have it correctly. We'll be in touch, Mulder." 

As he left, the three agents exchanged glances between each other, shaking their heads at the entertainment of the new revelations. Their smirks faded when they called Agent Scully's phone, and got the message that the number had been disconnected. 

* * *

Scully spent the entire day trying to free herself from her bindings. She could hear the muffled sobs of someone from the next room, and let out a sigh of relief, knowing she was at least still alive. The silence left her with too much time to think about everything that led her to this point. She knew she was apprehensive going into this case, but selfishly needed to prove something to herself, to everyone. She knew she was a qualified agent, but now she may never get the chance for others to see her potential. She was broken from her thoughts by the opening of the front door. 

"Have you eaten today?" Riley asked sheepishly as she stepped into the room. 

"Why do you care?" Scully spat back, more annoyed with her naivety than the betrayal of her new friend. 

"Look, I know you're probably pissed at me, and I get that, but I'm here to help you. You should have never been caught up in this mess, I want to help you escape." 

"What makes you think I'm going to believe a word you say now? I can't believe you have the audacity to come in here and pretend to be my friend. That ship has sailed, in case you haven't come to that realization yet." Scully said angrily as she gestured to her bound hands, tied together on the bed post.

"I can't let you go until I know that we've established an understanding. I'm, uh, withdrawing from school, so you won't see me after today, regardless if you let me help you or not. If I let you go, you can't say that I'm the one who helped you, or that I even had anything to do with this. I have a lot to lose, and as much as I want to release you, I won't risk this." 

"I can't promise you that. I don't know, call me a goody goody, but lying about the accomplice to a psychotic serial rapist and murderer isn't exactly my style." Scully said angrily. 

"Hey, what's your deal with Professor Fox?" Riley asked, unfazed by her accusations. 

"Wh - what do you mean?" 

"Well he took a special interest when his favorite student went missing. He nearly attacked Professor Johnson today before class. I know it wasn't the girl in the other room that he was so passionately worried about. Interesting turn of events, if I say so myself." She said with a grin beginning to touch her lips. 

"I doubt that had anything to do with me, I hardly know him." She paused, trying to compose the mixed emotions mulling around in her mind. "What's the catch, to letting me go?" 

"No catch. You go free, you keep your mouth shut. If you do talk, I'll just have to say that you were his accomplice in this attack. I'm not going down for this." 

"No one would believe that." Scully said confidently, knowing she had an upper hand in the situation. 

"We'll see about that. I'll give you until the end of the day to think about my proposition." She said before turning to leave. She was stopped in her stride, and her eyes grew wide. 

"Johnson, wha - what are you doing here?" Riley asked nervously. 

"Well, after Fox decided to pull his little stunt today, I came home to ensure that my bait was still safely secured. It's a good thing I did, considering it looks like you were getting ready to let this one swim free." He said through gritted teeth. 

"She has nothing to do with this. Taking her was a mistake, I panicked in the moment." Riley began to ramble. 

"No, I think it was the best mistake you could have made. See, she's my ticket to getting off scot-free. She's my wager to freedom. Feed her, she'll need it for my plan that's going down tonight." He said with a sly grin. 

"I already told you, I'm out of this. I'm not helping you anymore after this." 

"Then consider this your final task." He said, letting his face linger just above hers. They remained in their stalemate before he flashed an amused grin at her, then directed it towards Scully. Both women felt uneasy, and the anxiety filled the room. 

"Do your own dirty work." Riley spat before escaping the apartment. 

"Well, it looks like you won't be eating after all. If you'll excuse me, I have some other loose ends to tie up." Johnson said before making his way to the other room. Scully winced at the sound of muffled screams, and felt completely helpless in the moment. She frantically yanked harder at her bindings, only causing injury to her wrists. She stopped in her actions as she saw him walking from the back room with the student perched over his shoulder. 

Her eyes grew wide, and the emotions washed over her. She went into this career to help people, and here she was, experiencing it first hand, completely powerless.

* * *

Mulder went for a run around campus, trying to clear the thoughts running through his mind, all taking a negative direction. He pushed himself too far, nearly collapsing on the park bench nearby. He balanced his elbows on his knees, holding his head in his hands. He didn't know how this entire case became so complicated in such a short span of time.

"Yeah, Mulder." He said answering the incessant ringing of his phone.

"You need to get back here, now." Edwards said before disconnecting the call. The adrenaline created by his fear gave Mulder his second wind to head straight towards the apartment.

"What's going on?" He asked as he entered the room. There were more agents than the ones he was used to, and Director Hannon was barking orders into his phone, causing Mulder to become worried by the sight before him.

"Johnson must have used his insider to get this number, but he contacted us directly. He, uh, nearly admitted to being the perp, but nothing that would hold up in court. He's being careful, that son of a bitch." Hahn scoffed. 

"So then what's all this? He obviously wanted something important." Mulder said, gesturing to the agents bustling around. 

"He, uh, is using your student, Katherine Williams, as bait to get out of this untouched. We're assuming the other student he took is already dead, because he never mentioned her. He set up a meeting location, for tonight." Edwards explained carefully. 

"I'm going." 

"No, Mulder, you're too close to this. We don't know what he's planning, and you could jeopardize everything we've been working for." 

"You're crazier than I am if you think I'm staying away from this." 

"Let me talk to Hannon, see what I can do to keep you involved, but I'm not making promises." Hahn said with a heavy sigh. He knew Mulder enough to know he would go off on his own excursion the more they kept him in the dark. 

Mulder let the other agents make their plans as he silently crept over the information desk area. He found the number that Johnson called from, and mentally thanked whoever he needed to for his photographic memory. He snuck out, already concocting a plan in his head. 

He knew he was risking everything for her, but something in his heart and soul told him this was the right thing to do. He could already feel the backlash for not only falling interested with someone while on the case, but with a college student nonetheless. He made his way back to his temporary apartment, and pulled out the burner phone he carried around for emergencies. 

"Johnson, it's Sam Fox, we need to talk." 


	3. Chapter 3

After dealing with Johnson, Mulder made his way to their designated meeting location. His nerves were getting the better of him, and he knew that he was willingly jeopardizing this entire investigation, to guarantee the safety of a student he'd known barely a week. Someone he realized he shouldn't be involved with any other way than a professor and his student, but he was addicted. She charmed him the first moment she spoke up in his class, and he wasn't ready to let that feeling slip away. 

He approached the destination, anxiety rising, as he waited for any sight of the sorry son of a bitch. They had agreed to meet at the abandoned apartment building near the University that was currently undergoing renovations. Mulder parked just outside, waiting, letting his mind wander to every possible outcome of this situation. He was broken from his thoughts when the headlights of another car flashed in his rearview mirror. He exhaled deeply, and got out of the car slowly to meet his guest, not fully prepared for who was waiting for him. 

"You're an idiot, but I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that." Collins said as he got out of his own car. 

"You following me, Collins? Gee, I didn't know you cared." Mulder said sarcastically. 

"Mulder, cut the crap. Hahn called me and told me to make sure you didn't do something stupid. I don't know who I pissed off to get this crappy detail, but I take my job seriously." 

"Look, I don't have time to explain everything, and you're kind of putting me at risk just by being here." 

"What the hell are you doing here anyway?" Collins asked with a heavy sigh. 

"The less you know, the safer you are. If I were you, I'd turn around now, thanks for the concern." 

"Like hell, you're part of my team, I'm not leaving you here." 

"Okay, fine. You can stay for the throw down, but you need to stay out of sight. Park your car around the corner, and don't make yourself seen unless I'm waiving the white flag, okay?" Mulder conceded. 

"I can deal with that, the minute I sense trouble though, I'm coming from hiding." Collins said with finality. Mulder slammed his hand against his car, knowing this was becoming messier as the minutes passed. 

He leaned against his car, waiting for Johnson, becoming nervous every second that he failed to show. He started to believe that he was being set up, until the headlights of another car blinded him. When the car stopped, the headlights never went out, causing Mulder to walk towards the car with his hands up, trying to guard the brightness. 

"Sam, I must say, I'm surprised that you showed." Johnson said smugly. 

"I'm only here for the girl, just like we bargained." Mulder said cautiously. 

"You know, the more I thought about it, the more I'm doubting this inside connection you claim to have with the feds to get me out of this. So, I think I'm just going to hold onto this a while longer until I have a guarantee." He said as he stepped from the darkness, pulling Scully in front of him, her mouth gagged and her wrists bound together. 

Mulder began to walk forward at the sight of her, and her eyes went wide, shaking her head subtly to stop him in his tracks. It wasn't until Mulder assessed the scene fully that he noticed the gun pressed against her side. He was at a loss as to what to do, knowing he could call his credentials, blowing his cover, but he would only be able to pin kidnapping on him, not murder. He didn't want to jeopardize the entire investigation, and knew he had to play this delicately. Before he could make his next move, the voice calling out from the shadows stopped him. 

"You're wrong, he does have the connection to get you out of this, but only if you give us the girl." Collins said, stepping forward with his gun situated in his hands, aiming at Johnson. 

Mulder whipped his head around, glaring at Collins with the question in his eyes, wondering what he was doing. Collins just gave him a reassuring nod, and Mulder sighed in resignation. 

"Well well, who knew we had undercover agents galavanting around the campus. It's nice to see you, _Professor_ Levy, or should I say, _Agent_ Levy?" Johnson sneered. 

"It's actually Special Agent Collins, and I'm not here for trouble, I just want her safety. Give us the girl, and you're free to walk away from this." Collins explained calmly as he stepped forward slowly. 

Scully's eyes widened again, finally uncovering one of the agents on the inside. She knew this entire case was becoming more twisted by the minute, and was confused as to the reason he was risking his cover being blown. She almost followed suit until she felt the gun hit the back of her head, knocking her forward, the darkness washing over her. 

* * *

As Scully began to regain consciousness, she noticed the familiar setting of a hospital room. She began to sober, panicking at the lack of answers she had. 

"Woah there, you probably shouldn't move too quickly, you have a nasty head wound." Collins said, entering her room just as she was becoming coherent again. 

"Wh - what happened?" Scully asked puzzled, as the symptoms of her head wound began to wash over her. She winced and laid back down, trying to control her breathing and dizziness. 

"Well you missed quite the event, Agent Scully." He said with a smirk. "We haven't been formally introduced, I'm Agent Joseph Collins. I was one of the agents on the inside that they deemed too incompetent to finish the job, sending you in without our knowledge." 

"It's nice to meet you. Mind telling me what I missed?" 

"After you got that shiner on the back of your head, Johnson pointed his gun at Professor Fox. I aimed my gun, shot the poor bastard in the shoulder. He lived, fortunately, so now he gets to spend his time in prison. We weren't able to nail him for the rapes, or murders, but we're hoping you can help us with that." He finished with a question in his voice. 

"I wish I could, but the most I could confirm that I witnessed was another kidnapping. Have you found the other student yet?" 

"Unfortunately, no. He was being careful, so now our top priority is her recovery." 

"What about, uh, Professor Fox? Is he okay?" She asked in a small voice. 

"He will be, yeah. I didn't realize you two became, close." 

"We've talked a few times, ran into each other on campus. I figured any lead into finding more answers about all of this was going to be beneficial." 

"Right...well, I'll let you get some rest." He said as he began to leave the room. "Oh, Director Hannon will be in contact shortly, but as of right now, you're still undercover. We need to find the girl, and we think Johnson has an accomplice. Until this case is closed, you're still Katherine Williams. I've blown my cover, so I'll be camped out in the lovely apartment with the others." 

"Oh, wait, his accomplice." She began to stammer out. With all the confusion still stirring around in her head, she completely forgot about the details she did hold. "A student, Riley something. She was in Johnson's Biology class with me." 

"Riley?" He paused, puzzlement clouding his face. "Thanks, we'll look into it. You're doing good, Agent Scully." He said with a small smile before exiting the room. 

After their bust, Mulder was kept separated from the commotion, maintaining his cover. With the newest discoveries, and Johnson in custody, they still needed to wrap up the case. Everything inside of him was telling him to keep his distance when it came to Katherine, but he couldn't stay away. He waited until she was done giving her story, and all of the agents that knew him were gone. He was able to sneak in after visiting hours, and smiled as he entered her room. 

"Hey, I was, uh, just coming to see how you were doing." He said as he stepped towards her. She gave him a small smile, finding herself relieved he was there. 

"You always make house calls for students?" She asked teasingly, arching her eyebrow. 

"Only the ones who get taken hostage by crazed professors." He joked back. He let out a heavy sigh, the smirk fading from his face. "How are you, really?" 

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking." She said passively. He glared at her, and she closed her eyes in resignation. "I'm doing as good as one would be in this situation." 

"Better, see you're getting a hang of this whole small talk thing. Maybe you'll learn something from me after all." He teased as she chuckled. 

"Oh, I don't know, I think I'll be taking a lot from your teachings." 

"Well I'm glad someone's paying attention." He said as they both chuckled. He let his smile fall, gaining courage to continue, knowing he was breaking a dozen rules. "I also came to see if once you break out of this joint you would like to, uh, join me for a cup of coffee, off campus..." He asked sheepishly as his voice drifted off. 

She paused, her breath catching in her throat. As much as she wanted to accept his offer, she knew she was creeping into a dangerous territory. She bit her lip, thinking of a careful response. She didn't want to deny him, in the off-chance that after this entire mess was over, he would still hold an interest in her. She let out a heavy sigh, and licked her lips nervously. 

"I don't know how, uh, appropriate that would be, considering you're my professor. However, if you happened to find me at the coffee shop Thursday night after I'm released, I couldn't stop you from joining me." She said with a sly smirk. 

"Sounds like I have plans for Thursday then, I look forward to bumping into you. Feel better." He said with a smile touching his lips. He knew that once this was over, he would have free reign to pursue this, even if she was slightly younger than him. He only hoped that she didn't resent him for lying to her. 

The day for Scully to be released had arrived, and she hadn't been briefed on anything in relation to the case. She was getting antsy, waiting for information, and headed straight for the apartment where the agents were hiding out. 

"Agent Scully, how are you feeling?" Edwards asked as she entered the small living space. 

"I'm doing better, thanks. I was just, uh, coming to see if there was anything new. I haven't spoken with anyone since Hannon called to say I'm still keeping my cover." 

"There haven't been many new discoveries. We put a detail out on that student that you named as his accomplice. She vanished, quickly, so we are still looking for her. We also haven't found the student he was holding with you, I don't know. We are at a complete standstill in the case right now. Hopefully having you back on the inside will get us moving again." Hahn said encouragingly. 

"What about the other agents? Are they still working the case, too?" 

"Yeah, we only have one inside right now, you'll make two. As you know, Collins here has a big mouth, so he gets the fun side of this with us." Edwards teased. 

"Whatever, I only blew my cover because-" He paused at the looks the other 3 agents flashed him, realizing what he was about to disclose. "It was a difficult situation, desperate times, desperate measures. I'm glad you're okay though." He said directing his attention back to Scully. 

"Thank you, again. I definitely owe you one. I guess I'll head back to my closet of a dorm then, get ready for the next thing to come blowing my way. I'll try not to get taken hostage again." She said lightly as the others just laughed. She made her way back to her small room, giving her enough time to get ready for her not-really-a-date date.

She was surprisingly nervous about meeting Professor Fox, and rummaged through her clothes several times. She remembered how he subtly glanced at her outfit the night she went to the club, and a small smile touched her lips. She squeezed herself into her tight black jeans, and found another lower cut top, showing a modest amount of cleavage. She grabbed her jacket and smiled at her appearance in the mirror, prancing out the door. 

She situated herself at a small table in the back of the cafe, and pulled out her book. She sipped on her coffee, attempting not to appear desperate that she was waiting for him. She was nervous about his arrival, but hadn't found herself this excited about a date in a long time, if that's even what it was. 

"Is this seat taken?" He asked with a smirk on his face and a coffee mug in his hands. 

"No, but I must warn you, I've been told I'm not that great at small talk." She said with a smirk as she set her book down on the table. 

"That's okay, I can talk enough for both of us." He said with a shy smile. He sat down and took in her appearance, already knowing his mind was adding fuel to the fire. "Breakfast at Tiffany's?" 

"You seem surprised." 

"Just, enjoying the layers that keep unfolding." 

"So what brings you out tonight, _Professor_ Fox?" She asked, feigning innocence. 

"Outside of the classroom, I suppose you can just call me...Fox." He said cautiously. 

"Last name, interesting. I would say call me Williams, but it just doesn't have the same ring to it. You can call me, Kat." She said as the name rolled off her tongue. When Scully was a teenager, she assumed the persona of Kat, trying to rebel in protest of their most recent change of location. She smiled, remembering the trouble she got herself into, feeling that same excitement tonight. 

"Alright, Kat. So tell me, just one thing about yourself, anything you want." He challenged. 

"Okay...I'm a Navy brat, grew up all over. Somewhat good sized family. Mom, Dad, two brother's who followed in Dad's footsteps, and a sister who chased her dreams away from the family." 

"And what role do you play?" 

"I guess, I was always the 'perfect' child in the family. I academically outshine the others, as I'm the only one who's made it to college. I'm the soon-to-be doctor, really making the parents proud." She said letting her voice drift off. She realized she was sharing too much information about her own personal life, and licked her lips, deep in thought. "But that's enough about me, what about you?"

"Oh come on, it was just getting good." He teased. "Alright, alright. Let's see, there's not much to tell about me. Typical modest family, two kids, parents in a sham of a marriage, but everything seemed just fine on the outside. I like to think all my broody teenage years built character. Anyway, I ran away the first opportunity I had, and went to college overseas."   

"Well I would definitely say that character building did you some good." She said with a smirk that she attempted to mask with her coffee mug. His eyes gleamed at her approval, and he fell captivated by her every minute. 

"What do you say we take a walk? It's a nice evening." He asked hopeful. 

She met his eyes, and bit her lip, fighting back her apprehensions. She knew that she was being reckless in her actions, but bypassed her worries by mentally telling herself she was just getting inside information that could help the case. 

"Sure, sounds good." She said with a small smile. 

They strolled through the streets, illuminated by the small building lights, and the stars that shone brightly above them. They walked in a comfortable silence at first, both nervous about moving forward with whatever this was, but neither wanting to walk away. Mulder spotted a park nearby, and an idea popped into his head. 

"Come on." He said softly before grabbing her hand, leading her to the giant swings. He helped her get situated on hers, before taking a seat on his own. 

"I don't think I've been on a swing set since I was, maybe 9." She chuckled as she began to pump her legs, giving her movement. 

"Sometimes it's fun to forget about everything, and embrace your youth again." He smiled at her. 

"Oh to be young again." She said, realizing she slightly slipped about her cover. She glanced at him nervously. "Younger." 

"I know what you mean." He chuckled. "When you're a kid, you imagine that you can be anything in the world. Everything is at your disposal, and it's almost like nothing can take that dream away from you. I wish I still held on to some of that mentality, instead of just settling into what I'm good at." 

"Yeah, I definitely never imagined this for myself. I don't know, I always had huge dreams, but just kind of fell in line with whatever the parents deemed best for me. I'm not complaining, I just guess I didn't imagine myself on this path." She said speaking more to her medical career that she didn't pursue. She knew it was a disappointment to her parents when she chose to accept the FBI's recruitment, and that fell heavy on her every day. It was small moments of feeling she was doing something right with her career that gave her any assurance of her decision. 

"You know, we're getting pretty good at this. I'd even be so bold as to say this 'date' went by pretty well." 

"Is that was this was? See, I thought I just simply ran into my professor at a coffee shop, and engaged in some casual conversations." 

"Ah, but see a date is just a social _or_ romantic appointment or engagement." 

"Did your overseas education teach you that?" She asked with her eyebrow rising and a smirk touching her lips. 

"I'm just a very well diverse and educated teacher. You could really learn a lot from me." He teased. She chuckled, and he reveled in the sound. He let out a heavy sigh, knowing where this evening could lead if he let it, and wasn't ready for everything to blow up in his face just yet. He cut the night off, offering to walk her back to her dorm. 

They both slowly dragged their feet on their walk back, not wanting their escape from their assignment to end. They both knew the connection that they felt with the other, but their trepidations of the consequences they would face if this went any further shadowed over the excitement that they felt. 

"I had a nice night tonight, I think it's what I needed to get my mind off everything that happened this last week." She said in a small voice. "Thank you." 

"No need to thank me, it was definitely my pleasure." He said bumping her arm with his. As they approached the campus, they both slowed in their walk, knowing what the right choice was. "We should, uh, probably go our separate ways here. Not that I want to, it's just, well-" He began to stutter. 

"Hey, I understand, really. I wouldn't want to raise any questions and add to your already glowing reputation." She teased. 

"Well, if it's any consolation to you, those are all just rumors by lonely students who needed an extra boost for their complex. Just so you know." He said genuinely. Scully bit her lip and bowed her head so he couldn't see the color rising to her cheeks. 

"I'm flattered then." She said sarcastically. "I really don't want to cause any trouble for you though, I know this is a...messy situation. I did have a good time tonight though, it's good to know I have a real friend here." She said with a small smile. 

"That - you definitely do. And you let me worry about any consequences, that's not your concern. I'm glad you had a good night, and that I was able to help you get away from-" His voice was cut off by the shrill of his phone. He let out a frustrated sigh. "I guess that's my final cue. I'll see you in class next week, Miss Williams." He leered at her. She gave him an embarrassed smile and turned to head back towards her dorm. 

"Yeah, Mulder." He answered in a hushed tone, starting to walk back to his car. 

"We found the body, it's over." Hannon's voice filled his ears. 

"You're sure?" Mulder asked excitedly as he glanced back to see Kat slowly walking towards her main building. 

"Yeah, we'll brief everyone tomorrow. 8:00am sharp. See you then, good work." Hannon said passively as he disconnected the call. 

A small grin began to creep on Mulder's face at the news, not because it was over, but because what he wanted was no longer out of reach. He gained his courage and called after her, causing her to pause in her stride and turn with a puzzled look on her face. 

"Miss me already?" She teased as he approached. Her nerves began to rise as he stepped into her personal space, his mouth lingering above hers. 

"Something like that." He said as he leaned down to place a chaste kiss on her lips. Every doubt she had about whether or not she was doing the right thing dissipated, and nothing else mattered in this moment. He separated from her, and smiled at the blissful look on her face. "Just...remember that." He said in a whisper as he turned and walked towards his car. 

Scully was left standing there, completely amazed by the events of the evening. She smiled to herself, and touched her lips where his just left. She was startled by the sound of her phone, and exhaled heavily, not wanting to come back to the real world. 

"Hello?" 

"Agent Scully, it's over. We found the girl's body, and the accomplice turned herself in with some pressure from another agent. We will brief everyone involved tomorrow at 8:00am at the Hoover building. Great work. You're free to go back to your apartment whenever you'd like. We already handled everything in admissions." Collins informed. 

"Oh, wow, okay. Uh, thanks. I'll see you tomorrow." She said before closing her phone. There were so many mixed emotions running through her mind, but before she had a chance to act on them, she noticed Fox driving off in his car, and she closed her eyes in heartache. She only hoped she didn't completely miss her chance, knowing she wouldn't see him in class again, and would need to tell him the truth. 

* * *

The next morning, Scully put on a fitted suit that hugged her curves, feeling lighter today than she had in a long time. She was still functioning on the adrenaline and excitement from last night, and knew that this was the fresh start she needed. She let out a sigh of confidence and made her way to the briefing. 

As Mulder walked in to the conference room, he could see the other agents bustling around. He settled himself towards the back, lost in his own thoughts about the night before. 

"What the hell happened to you? I could see that grin on your face from the hallway." Collins said patting his back as he walked into the room. Mulder's grin increased, and he just shook his head. 

"I don't even think I know what hit me yet. Hopefully it all works out after this is all over." 

"This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with a certain student that you so stupidly put your ass on the line for, causing me to follow suit and blow my cover, now would it?" Collins asked with an mischievous smile. 

"It might. I don't know for sure yet. I guess I'm still figuring all of that out." Mulder answered sheepishly. Collins glanced towards the hallway behind him, hearing the clacking of heels approaching. 

"Well you better figure it out fast." Collins said as he smirked at Mulder and went to take a seat. Mulder gave him a puzzled look before turning at someone else entering the room. He stopped dead in his tracks, eyes widening at the sight before him. 

"Wh - what are you doing here?" Mulder asked incredulously. 

"I'm, well, wait, what are you doing here?" Scully responded, matching his shock about the newest twist of events. He glanced down at her badge, and smiled to himself. 

"Special Agent _Fox_ Mulder, pleasure to make your acquaintance, Agent...?" 

"Agent Dana Scully. It's very nice to _officially_ meet you, too."


	4. Chapter 4

"Special Agent _Fox_ Mulder, pleasure to make your acquaintance, Agent...?" 

"Agent Dana Scully. It's very nice to _officially_ meet you, too."

"This case definitely just keeps me guessing." He said with a smirk touching his lips. "We should probably take our seats, the briefing will be starting soon." 

She bit her lip to hide the full grin threatening to escape, and nodded as she took her seat. He situated himself beside her, his leg softly grazing hers. They both smiled shyly at the subtle contact as Hannon began the breakdown of the case. 

"I want to start off by saying great job to the team we had working round the clock on this. We definitely had some difficulties and obstacles, but we managed to catch the son of a bitch who was doing this." Hannon let out a heavy sigh. "As some of you may have already heard, Agent James was the one giving him inside information and has been taken into custody. Special thanks to Agents Collins and Mulder for working undercover on this for the past month. Also, congratulations to Agent Scully for making it through your first active case, you did a great job. I expect everyone's reports on this on my desk by Monday. You're all dismissed." Hannon finished his speech. 

Mulder bumped Scully's shoulder with his own at her name mentioned in praise. She bowed her head to hide the color rising to her cheeks. She didn't know how to face the newest revelations of the day, and the nervousness began to flow through her before she broke the awkward silence. 

"So...what do I call you now?" She said with a sly smirk. He turned to face her and chuckled at her attempt at conversation. 

"Usually I go by Mulder. I actually hate my first name, so Collins thought it would be the perfect opportunity to incorporate it into my cover." 

"You and that last name thing." She said teasingly. She began to gather her things and make her way out of the conference room. He followed, walking beside her slowly. 

"So, _Scully_ , can I offer you the grand tour?" He leered at her.

"I've been to the Hoover building before, _Mulder_." She said with a small chuckle as his name rolled off her tongue. "But I wouldn't pass up on my very own personal tour." 

"Well let me lead the way." He smiled at her as he placed his hand on the small of her back, leading her to the main floor. She smiled shyly and they began strolling through the bullpen. Mulder was jokingly talking as if she were on an actual tour, and she smiled to herself, enjoying the moment. It wasn't until they approached one of the main interrogation rooms that reality began to come crashing down on her. 

"Riley..." Scully mumbled in a small whisper. 

"What was that?" Mulder asked, knowing she spoke but it was so soft he couldn't understand her. He turned his attention to meet where her eyes were fixed upon, and became confused. 

"That, uh, the girl in custody. She was Johnson's accomplice. I met her in his class, thought she was my friend. I knew she turned herself in, but I never heard the details. Do you know what happened?" She asked in a small voice. As detached from the situation as she was, she knew Riley tried to initially help her escape, and that held some precedence in Scully's mind. 

"She's actually one of the agents originally sent in with me undercover. They figured one of us was dirty, giving Johnson information, which is when they sent you in. Turns out, they were right." Mulder said passively. Scully's head shot up to face him, becoming more surprised as the events kept unravelling. 

"Wait, she's an agent?!" Scully asked incredulously. 

"Yeah, well, former agent by the looks of it. Vanessa James, she was actually Rodriguez's partner, I wonder if he was the one who got her to come clean." Mulder shrugged, lacking interest in the details. He began to lead her away until they were stopped. 

"Agent Scully, do you have a minute?" Director Hannon came stepping from the interrogation room. 

"Oh, uh, of course, Sir." She said quietly. She stepped towards her, and Mulder held back, waiting. 

"James is requesting to speak with you, well, your cover. We haven't disclosed to her that you're an agent yet, and we don't have to. We know how difficult this situation must be, but we wanted to give you the option. The decision is yours." He explained carefully, sympathy shining through his eyes. 

She nodded at the unspoken apology, and took a deep breath. She glanced back at Mulder who was lingering near by, and he just flashed her a sheepish smile. She smiled back, gaining the rest of the courage that she needed. 

"I'd like to speak with her." She said softly, returning her attention back to Hannon. He just nodded and led her to the room. 

Scully walked in slowly, apprehensions beginning to shadow the confidence in her mind. She licked her lips nervously, and crossed her arms in front of her in a protective stance. James looked up and her eyes widened at the sight of Scully. 

"Well, it looks like I'm not the only one with some secrets then." James said with a sly grin, as she leaned back in her seat, composing herself. 

"Yeah, somehow I don't think ours compare." Scully said as she sat at the table across from her. 

"Still a goody goody I see." James said with a smirk. She let her smile fall and closed her eyes remorsefully. "Look, I wanted to see you, or the you I thought you were, because I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I don't know how I got so twisted up in this mess, and I should have never involved you. When I went back to the house to check on you again, everyone was gone, and I knew something bad was going to happen. I panicked, and called my partner, Agent Rodriguez. At first, I just told him I had a bad feeling, but he called my bluff. I attempted to run, but I couldn't. It didn't sit right with me, what I did, what I knew he did, so I came back. I turned myself in to Rodriguez, and here I am." 

"Why'd you do it?" Scully asked with her eyebrow arched in question. 

"I don't know. When we first went undercover to catch him, I witnessed him slipping a drug into the drink of the third victim. From his profile, I knew he had money, and I knew I needed it, so I made him a proposition. I told him that I had inside information that the feds were looking into him, and I could help him stay ahead for a while. Since I was assigned as the bartender as part of my cover, it was easy for me to slip the drug into the drinks of whoever his targets were. I don't know, when you saw us in the health building that night, I guess things finally caught up with me. I considered you a friend, even though I was undercover, and that didn't sit well with me. I was able to stay detached from the others, but I actually got to know you. Thanks, I guess, for unintentionally making me do the right thing. " She scoffed. 

"Thanks, I - I just needed to know. I went into this career, to help people, do something purposeful. I guess not all of us had the same intentions. I do want you to know, that I forgive you." Scully said passively. She got up from her chair and gave a final nod towards former Agent James before making her exit. 

She walked out into the hallway and exhaled deeply. She planted her hands on her hips, and bowed her head, needing a minute to collect her thoughts. She could feel someone walking towards her, and a smile immediately began to touch her lips. She glanced up to see the goofy, shy grin on Mulder's face. 

"That good, huh?" He asked teasingly, trying to lighten the mood. 

"Oh yeah, just more secrets of this case being exposed." She said with a smirk. 

"Hey, I like to think that my secret was a pleasant surprise, given our previous situation." He teased. She chuckled and enjoyed the light-heartedness that they shared. There were many mixed emotions mulling about in her mind, not knowing how to feel about the most recent epiphany. He could sense her unasked questions, and felt it was time to make his official move. "So, since we have the rest of the day off, would you like to join me for an official coffee date, _Scully_?" He asked optimistically. 

"Sure, I'd love to." She answered, relieved that he made the first move.

They left the building and made their way to a cafe nearby. It was busier than they expected, so they had to squeeze together at a small table. They both relished in the closeness, excited for where this could lead. 

"So, tell me about yourself." He joked. She chuckled at the familiar conversation, knowing now that she didn't need to hold back. "Actually, no, let me guess. You already went through med school, however never practiced. Graduated top of your class, of course. Recruited into the FBI, and accepted, thinking you could really make a difference here." 

"Either you're a profiler who's extremely good at his job, or you swiped my file." She said, raising her eyebrow in challenge. 

"Guilty, in both regards. I'm a criminal profiler in Violent Crimes, been there for a few years, definitely put in my time. This case was actually a nice break from the twisted minds I usually find myself studying, which is why I jumped at the chance." 

"Well I'm glad you did." She said with a small smile. "Why Violent Crimes?" 

"It just fit, I guess. I studied Psychology at Oxford, and was recruited from school. I was good at it, so that's where I settled." He shrugged.

"Ah, the overseas school." She said with a chuckle. "So, that talk about settling into what you're good at...?" 

"Was some of my psychological wisdom based on firsthand experiences, of course." He teased. 

"Oh, of course." She smiled. They were both enjoying their time together until someone appeared standing at the side of their table. 

"Dana? How have you been?" Jack Willis asked, eyeing Mulder and their close proximity. 

"Jack, hi. What are you doing here?" Scully asked startled, suddenly nervous about her current situation. 

"Just out for the lunch hour, I had a meeting at Hoover this morning. I heard about your case, I guess a congrats is in order." Jack said confidently, stealing subtle glances at Mulder. 

"Thanks. Uh, do you know Fox Mulder? He's an agent with VCS." 

"Yeah, we've met briefly before. It's good to see you again, Willis." Mulder said extending his hand to exchange casual pleasantries. He returned the gesture, glaring him down. 

"Well I'll leave you alone, congrats again. We'll have to catch up soon." Jack leered at her before walking away. She let out a shaky sigh, and Mulder could sense the uneasiness radiating from her. 

"So what's the story there?" He said, bumping her shoulder with his. She scoffed as the small smile began to touch her lips at his familiar gesture. 

"Not much of a story. I, uh, got a little too close to my instructor when I first joined the Academy." She said with a small smirk, glancing up to meet his eyes. He chuckled and playfully narrowed his eyes at her. "Anyway, that didn't turn out as well as the most recent time that happened." 

"Oh really? And what do we think about that most recent time?" 

"Still to be determined." She teased. 

"Well-" Mulder began to say as the sound of his phone began to chime. He gave her an apologetic look and took the call as he exited the crowded cafe. Before she had a moment to enjoy her thoughts about their date, her phone followed suit, and began to ring incessantly. 

"Hello?" 

"Agent Scully, it's Agent Edwards, we need you to come back to Hoover, there have been some new developments in the case. There's another student who's been reported missing, and we think with the news out about Professor Johnson, we have a copycat, or another suspect." He explained carefully. 

"Okay, I'll be right there." She said, already exhausted about what this would mean for her. She began to stand up and gather her things, glancing outside to see Mulder on the phone. He seemed annoyed as he paced and was clearly arguing with whoever was on the other line. He finally slammed his phone shut and closed his eyes, hanging his head as he exhaled deeply. She cautiously made her way outside to meet him, apprehensive and unsure how to handle his mood. 

"Hey, sorry, I, uh, have to head back to work." He said distractedly. 

"Yeah I know, they called me, too." She answered in a small voice. 

"Did they tell you what happened?" 

"They just said another student was taken, and they think there's more people involved."

"Yeah, that's the most of what they told me, too. I, uh-" He paused and let out a heavy sigh. "They think I know something, the student missing was in my class, and apparently talking to her friends about her admiration for me, so now that's where the blame is being directed. They figure that with one professor already being dirty, they are all of suspect now."

"But they have to know you had nothing to do with this." 

"Yeah, well you may be the only one on my side. With so many corruptions in this case, they aren't taking any chances." He said annoyed. He scoffed in disbelief. 

"Hey..." She said as she stepped towards him, putting a hand on his arm for comfort. "We'll get this sorted out." She said with a small smile. He matched her sentiments, and nodded in agreement. 

"We should head back." He said before turning to lead the way. She knew he was doubting the outcome of this next meeting, and wanted to do something to reassure him that things were going to be okay. She smiled as an idea popped into her head. 

"Mulder..." She said, gaining his attention. He stopped and turned slightly to face her. She bit her lip to hide the smirk creeping on her face, and stepped in front of him. He looked at her puzzled, and she reached up to place a soft kiss on his lips. "Just...remember that." 

He smiled down at her, recalling the words he said to her the first time they kissed. "Told you, you could learn a lot from me." He leered at her. She chuckled and shook her head at him. 

"Come on, G-Man, before you ruin my glowing new reputation." She teased. 

"Well if you're hanging out with me, it might already be too late for that." He said, enjoying the ease of their conversation. He fell more captivated by her, amazed that she was able to reel him in as he was slipping into one of his manic thoughts. 

They made their way back to the conference room, and agents were already talking amongst themselves with new information on the board. They were handed a new case folder of information, and began to read the details. Scully's breath caught in her throat as she read the name of the missing girl, and her thoughts began to bounce around sporadically. 

Mulder sensed the change in demeanor from Scully, and glanced down to see her lick her lips nervously. He continued reading the new case file, and sighed heavily when he read the name. 

"Scully, I-" He began to say before Hannon called the attention of the room. She avoided his eyes and took a seat. He sat down at a chair across the room from her, and threw the file on the table forcefully, already knowing this case was about to get even more challenging. 

"Alright everyone, listen up. Sorry to call you back so soon, but there's been a new development as I'm sure some of you have already been briefed on. We think there's either a copycat on campus, or someone else was in on this with Johnson. A student was reported missing two nights ago, and hasn't turned up or contacted any of her family or friends. Since we haven't disclosed that there were agents working undercover, we want to send you back in." 

Scully glanced at Mulder and noticed him sigh heavily. Her nervousness began to build inside of her, knowing this case was going to be even more challenging with the newest developments in their personal relationship. She was brought from her thoughts at the sound of Hannon's voice directed towards her. 

"Agent Scully, you'll resume your cover, as well as Agent Mulder. We'll be sending in Agent Davies as a student as well, hopefully getting some more inside information. As you've read in the briefing, student Leslie Connor is who we are currently looking for. Any lead is useful. We are putting pressure on Johnson, hoping he will confess, but until that happens, this is now an active case again. Class resumes Monday, you're all dismissed." Hannon said with finality. 

Agents began to discuss details and make a plan amongst themselves, Scully's mind was whirling, and she needed to escape. She spoke with Collins and Edwards, making plans to meet Monday before her first class again, and fled out of the exit. Mulder beelined for the door, following her out into the hallway. 

"Scully, hey, can we talk for a minute?" He said catching up to her. She paused, letting out a heavy sigh and turning to face him with her arms crossed in front of her. 

"Sure, Mulder." She said in a stern voice, not meeting his eyes. 

"I just want-" He paused, noticing that they were surrounded by agents shuffling by. "Can we go for a walk, talk privately?" He asked sheepishly. She just nodded wordlessly, and he led her towards the elevator with his hand placed on the small of her back. 

They began strolling along the streets, and he finally broke the silence. 

"Scully, I know you have questions." 

"Using your profiler skills?" She said as she raised her eyebrow in question. 

"Just an observation." He said with a shy smile. "Look, I know how it looks on paper, especially what you walked in on your first day of school, but I honestly don't have anything to do with this. The fact that Leslie is the student missing, is just a huge coincidence. I was more annoyed that they accused me of being part of this, and insisted on keeping me on the case. They seem to think that with people putting their blame on me, it'll force whoever's doing this to reveal himself." 

"Mulder..." She said with a sad sigh. "They can't honestly subject you to the rumors, and the accusations that you're going to be facing." 

"Well, at least it's not really me that's facing it, just my assumed persona." 

"Still, your cover is going to be that much more challenging this time around." 

"You think I can't handle it, Scully?" He teased at her, hoping to lighten the mood. 

"Oh, it's definitely not your abilities that I'm questioning." She said as a small smirk began to touch her lips. "I, uh, didn't think you had anything to do with it either. If that's any consolation." 

"Coming from you, it's a huge compliment. You're opinion is really the only one that matters to me." He leered at her. She chuckled and shook her head. 

They both knew the new challenges they would be facing going back undercover, and were weary about how to handle the progressive development in their relationship. He didn't know how long this case would take to fully wrap up, and was unsure how long he could withhold himself from spending personal time with her, knowing it would be off limits during the investigation.

"I'm, uh, going to take a big risk here, and ask you out on an official date tomorrow evening, before we divulge back into the undercover world. I totally get it, if that's taking a leap, I just thought, maybe before we-" He paused at the almost silent chuckle coming from beside him. He turned and glared at her as she attempted to mask her smile with the back of her hand. 

"I'm sorry, it's amusing to see you this nervous. It's almost endearing. I'd love to go on an official date with you." She said with a genuine smile. She bit her lip, excited about this new step between them. He smiled back at her, and led her back to her car, thrilled for what was to come. 

* * *

The night of their date approached, and Scully was suddenly nervous. She was unsure how this would all play out, and that deepened her apprehensions about mixing work with pleasure, again. She didn't want to jeopardize anything dealing with the case, but she was just as weary about ruining anything between her and Mulder. 

He wouldn't disclose any information about where he was taking her, just that she should dress comfortably and warm. She sifted through her closet, annoyed at her own lack of clothing options other than professional suits. She settled for a fitted, deep blue sweater than made her eyes shine, and her tight black jeans. She smiled, satisfied with her appearance, and waited for his arrival. 

She bit her lip, attempting to hold back the excitement that burst through her at the sound of the knocking at the door. She snuck a peak through the peephole, and silently chuckled at the goofy grin on his face. 

"I was starting to think you weren't going to show." She teased, knowing he was 10 minutes later than he said he would pick her up. 

"Sorry, some last minute details I had to finish. You ready?" He said mischievously. She raised her eyebrow at him, and gathered her things, following him out to his car. 

"You're still not going to give me any clues as to where you're taking me?" 

"That would just ruin the surprise, Scully." He leered at her. She gleamed shyly at him, already exhilarated with what this evening was going to bring. 

They arrived at the National Air and Space Museum, and she gave him a puzzled look. He smirked at her as he parked in the underground garage, and opened her door for her. He extended his hand, and she cautiously took it, playfully glaring at him for the lack of answers she had. 

He led her through the main doors, and she fell instantly captivated by the dimly lit museum. They were alone as they strolled through the empty halls, and she had never had an opportunity to bask in the full beauty this place had to offer. 

"Mulder, it's amazing. How'd you manage this?" She said with a questioning arch of her eyebrow. 

"I pulled in some favors, but this isn't even the best part of the surprise." He teased mysteriously. She chuckled at his attempt to maintain the plans of his evening, and followed trustingly as he led her upstairs to the terrace. 

He grabbed her hand and interlocked their fingers before leading her through the door that led outside. She smiled at the gesture and gasped as she embraced the scene before her. There was a small intimate table with food laid out on display. There was a bottle of wine, and two candles that illuminated the setting. Next to their small table was the telescope with blankets set before it. She was so taken back by his efforts, she didn't realize he crept up behind her to whisper in her ear. 

"How did you even-" She began to say in a small whisper. "Mulder, this - this is stunning." She said before glancing up to see the stars shining above them. He smiled at this candid moment, and knew that the risks he was taking were worth it. 

"I wanted to give you a glimpse into who I am, who I really am. I've always had an interest in space, and the unknown that lurks between the stars. Plus, it makes for a perfect date setting." He said teasingly as she chuckled at his humor. 

"This was thoughtful of you, really. And you're right, it is perfect." She flirtatiously smirked at him. He leered at her as he leaned down to linger his mouth just above hers. Her breath caught in her throat at the movement, and he smiled at the affect he had on her. 

"Shall we?" He whispered as he moved away from their closeness. She scoffed and let him lead her to the table. 

"I'm glad we were able to do this, before the case goes live again. It's going to be trickier this time around." She said with a sly smirk. 

"Why is that,  _Agent_ Scully?" 

"Oh, I don't know, just an intuitive guess." She said with a smirk. 

"Does it have anything to do with-" His voice was cut off by the ringing of his cell. He exhaled deeply, and gave her an apologetic, tight-lipped smile. 

"Yeah, Mulder." He answered annoyed, stepping slightly away from the table. 

"Agent Mulder, we need you to begin your cover tonight. There's a party at one of the fraternities, and we are already sending Davies in. We just need you to canvas the area, keep up the surveillance." Collins explained. 

"Are we all going back tonight?" He asked as he glanced back towards Scully sitting at the table. 

"No, just you and Davies. Don't worry, Agent Scully will join you as originally planned on Monday." Collins said with an amused tone in his voice. 

"Okay, yeah. I'll get my things together and meet you all at the apartment before I head in. Give me an hour." He said before disconnecting the call. He sighed heavily and dragged his feet back to the table. 

"That great of news?" She said with a shy smile. 

"Unfortunately. They need me to surveillance a frat party tonight, Davies is already heading in. Scully, I'm so sorry."

"Hey, it's okay, it's all part of the job. I understand." She said reassuringly. She helped him gather their things, and make their way back to the car. "They don't need me to go in early?" 

"He said you'd be back in on Monday as originally planned. He said something about less chance of you getting kidnapped..." He said jokingly. 

"Mulder, shut up!" She said as she swatted at his arm. He chuckled and turned to face her slightly. 

"Sorry, it was a cheap shot, and I had to take it." 

"I'll remember that." She said glaring at him. He chuckled as he pulled up in front of her apartment building. They glanced at each other nervously, knowing that as soon as they ended their evening, it would initiate them being back undercover. 

"Thank you, for the evening. It was perfect, at least the time we had the pleasure to indulge in." She gave him a small smile as he helped her out of the car. They stood on the curb outside, enjoying the closeness. 

"There's definitely more where that came from, after this mess is over, of course." 

"I'm looking forward to it." 

He leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her lips, and she reached up to cup his neck, just below his chin. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in closer, deepening the kiss. His lips glided across hers smoothly, and she willingly opened her mouth to him. His tongue met hers, and their breathing became rapid. When he finally broke apart from their kiss, he smiled at the serene look on her face. 

"Well, I think I'll definitely remember that." She said in a small whisper as a smirk began to touch her lips. 

"I hoped you would." He said smiling back at her. "I will see you Monday, Miss Williams." He teased. They both had to face the reality of the situation, but had some small moment of bliss to hold onto until it was over. 

"Have a good evening, _Professor_ Fox." 


	5. Chapter 5

The weekend flew by, and Scully made her way back to the small apartment to meet the other agents. When she arrived, she spotted Mulder, and attempted to hide her shy smile. A small grin touched his lips, and they both diverted their attention elsewhere. Collins watched this scene play out with amusement, knowing this case was getting more interesting by the minute. 

"Thanks for meeting us here so early this morning, we just want to give everyone the rundown before we send everyone back in. You've all met Agent Scott Davies, our newest edition. Some rumors floating around from this weekend gave us a few suspects to look into, which are all in your briefing." He said as he passed around the files to everyone. "I want Agent Scully and Agent Davies to work the inside, get to know the students, find out what you can. We've given you a few leads to start with, so hopefully we can find something, fast. Agent Mulder, you'll be on the inside with the faculty, but we also want you to work the rumor mill. The general sense is that you were the teacher she was infatuated with, therefore that's where others are looking. We haven't figured that game plan yet, but you'll know as soon as we have word from Hannon. Keep the cell on that we give you at all times, and unlike Collins here, don't blow your cover." Edwards finished explaining, teasing Collins. He dismissed Davies, asking that Mulder and Scully wait several minutes before making their own exits. 

They both stood next to each other silently, letting the awkwardness settle across the room. She could feel him taking subtle glances in her direction, and finally turned her face up to meet his eyes. He flashed her a goofy grin, and she softly chuckled and shook her head. Hahn and Collins watched the interaction, and smiled to each other. This case was definitely more entertaining the second time around. 

When it came time for Mulder to leave, Scully was left alone in the small apartment with the other agents. They suggested she wait at least 20 minutes, so she plopped herself on the couch. 

"So, Agent Scully, how are you liking your first real case so far?" Edwards asked as the other turned their attention towards her. 

"Well, other than the whole kidnapping fiasco, I'd say it's going pretty well. I just hope we're able to find whoever else is doing this. Do you really think there's more corrupt people on this campus?" She asked in slight disbelief. 

"It seems more like a copycat, hopefully we'll be able to wrap this up quickly. With you and Davies covering the students, and Mulder on the teachers, we can cover a lot of ground." 

"Yeah, hopefully." She said in a small voice as a smile began to touch her lips. She began to think about what the end of the case would mean for her and Mulder, and the smile spread further on her face. 

"Penny for your thoughts, Agent Scully?" Hahn asked with an amused smirk. 

"Sorry, I was, uh, just thinking about...something. It looks like it's time for me to head to class, I'll talk with you guys later." She said before making an abrupt exit. The other agents exchanged looks and shook their heads. 

Scully made her way nervously to Mulder's class. She didn't know why her anxiety was rising, but she attempted to compose herself before entering. As she approached, she could see a group of students mulling around just outside the door. She slowed her stride and began eavesdropping on their conversation. 

"Yeah, I heard that Leslie was with him every night last week, late, in his classroom! I can't believe she scored him like that." One student said. 

"I heard he's the one who took her, and was working with Johnson. Can you believe that? I guess that's why he paid so much attention to all his female students." Another student chimed in. 

Scully closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. She knew that this was good for his cover, but hated hearing people talk about him like that. She noticed one of the girls in the group glance in her direction and whisper to the others before they all paid her attention. When the news broke about Johnson's arrest, it was also stated that student Katherine Williams was found alive and rescued by the FBI during his capture. She knew coming back would result in more attention, but hoped she didn't make much of an impact for people to know who she was. Unfortunately, she was wrong. She dipped her head and passed by them to head into class. 

As she took her seat, the entire class was buzzing around her. She knew she had to keep an open mind, but it was getting harder by the minute. She looked up when Mulder entered the room, and the side conversations and whispers continued. 

"Sorry I was out last week, I had some things to take care of. Can anyone let me know where the sub left off?" Mulder said with authority. They each had to devise a cover for their whereabouts for the week that they were gone. For Mulder, it was that he had a family emergency and had to leave town for the week. Since Scully's cover name was all over the news, hers was easier to manage, since she was in the hospital. 

"Well, mostly we were trying to analyze the mind of Professor Johnson. It was kind of an extra credit assignment to see if we could pinpoint the motives behind his actions. Care to comment on your theories, Professor Fox?" Michelle, a female student in the class, asked accusingly. 

"I was out of town dealing with a family emergency, so I missed most of his news coverage and interviews. But what I can tell you about those who have such a sick, twisted mind, is that sometimes there are no direct answers. Not every criminal is a straightforward profile." Mulder said with slight annoyance in his voice. 

"Okay, well given what they're accusing him of, what would make someone so twisted show mercy on someone he's captured?" Michelle said as she turned her glance towards Scully. The entire room began to mumble amongst themselves in questioning whispers, and Mulder closed his eyes, hanging his head. 

Scully could feel everyone looking at her, especially Michelle, who was seated directly behind her. She finally met Mulder's eyes, and he just gave her a reassuring nod. He had never seen such fire burning in her eyes, and he could have never prepared himself for what was to follow. 

"Why don't we cut the bullshit, and just ask me the question you want to ask Michelle?" She spat as she whirled around in her seat to face the other student. 

"What makes you so special?" Michelle asked with pursed lips, a challenge in her tone. Scully scoffed, annoyance rising. 

"Special? You think being tied up to a bedpost with no food or water for nearly 2 days is special? Or, maybe it was the way he held the gun to my side before clocking me on the back of the head. I'm healing just fine from that injury, thanks for asking. I may have gotten away, but I wouldn't consider myself lucky." She said before angrily gathering her things and exiting the class. 

"Well, I think that's a good note to end class on." Mulder said before rushing out the side door to catch up with Scully. She was walking briskly through the somewhat empty side hallway, beating the other students out of class. She was holding back the tears that threatened to escape her eyes, and didn't notice someone walking up behind her. She was suddenly pulled into an empty classroom, and began to panic at the unexpected motion. 

"What the hell?!" She said as she was yanked into the dark room. 

"Hey, shh, it's me." Mulder whispered as he pinned her back against the door, the front of their bodies meeting. 

"Mulder?" She asked in a hushed tone, composing her frantic thoughts. 

"I wanted to make sure you were okay. That was some outburst." 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to just lose it like that. I was so worried for you to return, I didn't even think about the details being released about me." 

"She shouldn't have pushed you like that. Ignore the rumors and the whispers, we know the truth." He said as he brought his hand up to gently caress her face. She let out a heavy sigh, enjoying the contact. 

"The truth..." She said with a scoff. "I don't even know what that is anymore." Her voice drifted off. 

"Hey..." He said as he brought her gaze to meet his. "It seems to me that someone isn't as _fine_ as they've been letting on." He said genuinely. She gave him a small smile. 

"I am, I promise. I think she just hit a nerve. Sorry for the disruption, _Professor_ Fox." She said with a sly grin. "Thank you though, for checking on me."

"I always got your back." He said with a wink. She chuckled and shook her head at him, reveling in how easily he was able to calm her. "It would probably be really bad if I kissed you right now, right?" He asked as his mouth lingered above hers. She licked her lips with anticipation. 

"Well, it could help light a spark in the rumor mill, you know, to maintain cover." She said in a whisper as she moved her gaze from his lips to meet his eyes. 

He smiled at her and leaned down to place a small kiss on her lips. She thrusted her body towards him slightly, and he leaned in harder, placing his hands on her hips, closing the gap between them. She brought her hands to cup his face, and opened her mouth willingly to him. Their heartbeats increased as their embrace deepened. They broke apart quickly as soon as they heard voices on the other side of the door. He let out a heavy sigh, and rested his forehead against hers as they composed their breathing. 

"We shouldn't be doing this..." She said in a breathy whisper. 

"You're probably right." He said as he pecked her on the nose. 

"I should get going, get ready for my next class..." 

"Mhm..." He said as he pecked her on the cheek. She chuckled and pushed him away. 

"The sooner you can solve this, the sooner we can do more of that." She teased. 

"Oh, challenge accepted Miss Williams." He leered at her. She laughed as she gathered her scattered belongings and playfully glared at him before making her exit. Mulder knew that this case was seeming longer by the second. 

* * *

It had been a week since they went back undercover, and no leads had turned up, but neither had a body. Everyone's nerves were on edge, and the pressure was piling on. Other than the rumors pointing blame to Mulder, they didn't have anything else to work off of.

Scully was getting impatient, since she would only see Mulder in class. Every time she attempted to talk with him, he disappeared to a faculty meeting, or was surrounded by female students who gave him extra attention after class. She knew it was part of the cover, but she couldn't control the minuscule ounce of jealously that surged through her when she saw him flirtatiously smile at another student.

As she situated herself in class that following Monday, she paid extra attention to Leslie's best friend Jessica. She noticed a change in demeanor in her the last class, and could sense that she knew something. She observed Jessica fidget nervously throughout class, and check her phone every few minutes.

Mulder dismissed class, and Scully made her way towards the front of the lecture hall to tell him of her most recent suspicions. As she approached, she noticed a few other coeds crowd around him, and she stopped in her stride. He leered at them, and flashed them the flirtatious grin she had been on the receiving end several times before. Her stomach began to turn, and she fought back her confused emotions. Just as she was turning to leave, Mulder caught her gaze and noticed the look in her eyes. He attempted to follow her, but the group around him weren't budging. She briskly made her exit to her small dorm and made a call to the other agents. 

"Hey, it's Scully." She said distractedly. 

"Agent Scully, what can we do for you?" Collins answered. 

"I, uh, was just calling to see if we ever checked on Leslie's best friend, Jessica Matthews. She's just seemed off recently, I think we should have someone detail her, maybe just for today." 

"Yeah, thanks. We'll look into it. Is anything else wrong, Agent Scully?" Collins asked with genuine interest. He could hear the weariness in her voice. 

"Everything's just fine, I think I'm just tired from this case. Thanks for asking, let me know if anything turns up." She said quickly before disconnecting the call. She laid in her small bed and let her mind wander. She knew she shouldn't be feeling this territorial over Mulder, but she couldn't shake the emotions mixing in her mind. She let out a heavy sigh and allowed herself to close her eyes and rest. 

As she roused from her small nap, she could hear a small knocking at the door. She realized the sound subconsciously woke her up, and began to sober at the incessant noise. She opened the door and licked her lips nervously at the sight of the person standing in front of her. 

"Can I help you, Professor Fox?" She asked bitterly. He winced at the tone in her voice. 

"Can I come in, before someone sees me?" He asked as he glanced around at the empty hall. She just nodded and stepped aside, allowing him access. 

"Why are you here, Mulder?" She asked with an exasperated sigh. 

"I just wanted to come see if everything was okay. I know we haven't had a chance to talk much, and you left class so quickly." 

"You looked like you had your hands full." 

"Scully, please, talk to me. I'm really trying here, but it's a little hard considering I don't know what I did." 

"Nothing, really. I - I think the case is just catching up with me. Sorry if I distracted you from work. Don't worry about me, I'm fine." 

"I don't totally believe you, you're giving me some mixed signals here." He said as he reached out to touch her arm gently. "Plus, I have more of a personal interest here, so of course I'm going to worry about you." 

"Mulder..." She began to say before the rest of her words were cut off by his lips. He could sense her apprehensions, and needed to secure the reassurance for them both. She didn't even attempt to push him away, she only pulled him in closer to her body by the collar of his shirt. He walked them the small distance to the bed, never breaking contact. 

He laid her down gently, and covered her body with his. They both knew this was a huge risk, but both of them were willing to make that sacrifice and face whatever consequences might come their way. 

"I can see the question in your eyes, and if you don't know how I'm starting to feel about you, you haven't been paying attention in class more than I thought." He teased, as his mouth lingered above hers. She let the small smile sweep across her face and reached up to capture his lips again. 

"Using those profiler skills again?" She teased back in between kisses. He chuckled at the ease of their newfound relationship, and relished in this moment. They embraced deeper, sealing their mutual sentiments for each other, erasing any doubt in either of their minds. 

She began to frantically unbutton his shirt, already knowing the direction this unexpected evening was heading. As she undid the last button, she slid his shirt off his shoulders, letting her hands trace feather soft grazes down his chest and across his shoulders. He was resting his body above hers by his arms, basking in the look of arousal in her eyes. She finally met his gaze and bit her lip, contemplating everything this affair had the potential to change. 

"We shouldn't be doing this, we're risking everything..." She whispered into his mouth.

"I know..." He said as he moved to place a gentle kiss on her neck. He sat up slightly and brought her with him until she was straddling his lap. He began to slowly run his hands the length of her body under her shirt, exposing her stomach and then her breasts. She helped him pull the shirt off over her head, and they situated themselves back to their close position, nothing between them but their bare skin. 

"There could be major consequences..." She said as she brought her hand to cradle his neck and rub her thumb across his cheek. She placed another passionate kiss on his lips, situating herself more into his lap. She could feel his growing erection nudging at her center. 

"That's probably true..." He said as he pulled her hips towards him gently. He placed a lingering kiss right between her exposed breasts. She hummed at the contact, losing all inhibitions. 

"I - I ran out of excuses." She said as she smiled into his mouth. 

"Finally." He said returning her smile. He laid them back down, his body covering hers, as they engaged in the final act of intimacy that was left between them. 

Mulder began to wake early the next morning, and was instantly confused by his surroundings. As he focused his eyes, realization hit, and he began to slightly panic. He didn't mean to fall asleep in Scully's dorm, knowing what bigger risk he was putting them both in. Even in his moment of concern for the current situation, the sight before him made him smile. He glanced down at Scully laying cuddled onto his chest, feeling her bare skin against his. He smiled, enjoying this small moment, and began to rub his hand up and down her arm in attempt to wake her. 

"Scully..." He whispered. She hummed at the contact and cuddled into his side further. He chuckled at her response, and made another attempt. "Come on sleeping beauty, time to wake up." 

"Sleeping beauty woke up with a kiss." She mumbled into his chest. He smiled and leaned down as she moved her head to face him. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips, and her eyes fluttered open. "Better." 

"I didn't mean to sleep here." 

"I'm not complaining." 

"As much as I would love to touch more on that subject, I should probably get going while I can still sneak out of here discreetly." He said with another chaste kiss. She pouted as he got himself dressed, not wanting to enter back into reality. 

She gathered herself in the sheets from her bed, and settled herself on her knees. He walked over to her, and wrapped his arms around her waist. 

"So, uh, same time tomorrow?" He teased. 

"Cute. I think we both know last night shouldn't have happened." She said slowly. She could feel him stiffen and saw the panic wash over his face. "At least not while we're working on an active case." She finished with a sly smirk. He narrowed his eyes at her, and she chuckled. 

"You play a mean game, _Miss Williams_." He leered at her. "I'll remember that." 

"Mm...no." She said as she scooted closer to him. She enclosed her lips on his, and he melted into her touch. Their lips glided together comfortably, and she reluctantly pulled away. "I'd rather you remember that." 

"Oh, I definitely will." He said with a genuine grin. "I should really get going though, I don't want to get us into more trouble." She nodded, knowing he was right. 

They maintained their distance throughout the next day, and she was nervous and excited to face him in class on Wednesday. She approached the lecture hall and was immediately put on high alert when Mulder wasn't the one who entered the class to teach. She glanced around and realized he wasn't anywhere in the class. She snuck out to hopefully get some answers. 

"Hey, it's Scully, has something happened?" She asked, trying to mask the worry in her voice. 

"Yeah, there's been a development, and we're working on handling it. We didn't want to call until we had more answers, but I figured you'd be calling soon anyway." Collins explained as he sighed heavily. "We found the girl last night holed up in some shack of an apartment off campus. Your tip, about her friend, is what led us to her. She was bringing her friend clothes, and when we closed in, she, uh..." He paused, unsure about how to tell her the next piece of information. "She said that Mulder was the one who took her there." 

As Scully listened to the final words, she froze and paled, letting the information permeate in her mind. She couldn't believe the words she was being told, and fell silent to the newest revelations. 

"Agent Scully?" Collins asked cautiously. 

"Yeah, sorry, I'm still here." She let out a heavy sigh, knowing everything was crashing down around her. "So what happens now?"  


	6. Chapter 6

"We had to take him into custody, just for procedure. We have to investigate the allegations, Hannon doesn't want to take anymore chances with all the corruptions in the case already." Collins explained carefully. 

"You can't honestly think he has anything to do with this!" She seethed. 

"I personally don't think he was involved, I like to think I know him better than that. It's all just precautionary. We're keeping you and Davies undercover until we have more information." 

"Just - just let me know as soon as you know anything." 

"Of course, Agent Scully, I wouldn't worry about this too much. If you want, you can come here to the apartment with us while we wait for more insight." 

"Yeah, I just might. I'll see you in a while." She said with a shaky sigh as she hung up her phone. 

Her thoughts were sporadic, letting her mind mull over all of the events that transpired in the last 12 hours. She didn't know how everything became so twisted in a short span of time. 

"Agent Scully, have a seat wherever you'd like." Edwards said in greeting. 

"Thanks, has anything else come up?" She asked timidly. 

"No, Mulder's being held at the local station, for the image of it all. We have agents looking into Leslie, trying to find any holes in her story. But-" Collins paused with an exasperated sigh. "Mulder isn't exactly cooperating fully." 

"What do you mean?" Scully asked, sitting up in attention. 

"The girl said he moved her to that apartment from a different location Monday night, and allowed her friend to bring her things, threatening them both. Thanks to your tip, we followed her friend that night, and that's when we found them. When we went to Mulder's place, he was MIA, and not answering his phone. The optics don't look that great, given the circumstances, and he's not giving up his location for the evening. He's being a stubborn jackass, but I don't know why I'm surprised." Collins scoffed. 

Scully licked her lips nervously, letting the newest information stir in her mind. She never imagined that things would get so complex, but they both knew the risks they were taking being together while on the case. She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply, gaining the courage she needed to tell the truth, and hopefully clear Mulder's name. 

"Me - he, uh, was with me." She said in a whisper. The agents in the room all stopped their actions and turned at the hushed sound. They all exchanged glances between each other, unsure how to move forward with the newest piece of information. 

"You're willing to go on record and say that Agent Mulder was with you all evening when we were unable to verify his whereabouts?" Hahn asked cautiously. 

She simply nodded in response, wordlessly admitting to fraternizing with a fellow agent while on the job during an open investigation. She knew the consequences that they both could face, but they weren't nearly as severe as what Mulder was currently up against. 

"Alright, we'll see if we can put some pressure on the girl, get her to confess before you need to admit to anything officially. Just sit tight, let me work my magic." Edwards said before gathering his jacket and making his way down to the precinct. Scully closed her eyes in worry for what was to come from this twisted mess. 

Hours had passed by, and they hadn't heard an update. Scully was getting anxious and began pacing around the small apartment. She let her mind wander to the possibilities of the accusations that were being thrown around, and knew that wasn't fair to her, or to Mulder. The sound of a phone ringing broke her from her reverie, and her breath caught in her throat in anticipation of what this call could mean. 

"We should head down to the precinct. They put some pressure on Leslie, and told her that there was a firsthand witness who was willing to testify to Mulder's whereabouts for the day she was accusing he took her to that apartment. After a few hours, she finally caved." Collins explained. 

He didn't explain what that meant for Mulder, or what she was admitting to. Scully had questions, but she could see the trepidation in Collins' eyes, and remained silent for now. 

When they reached the station, Collins stopped in the main hallway, and let out a heavy sigh. 

"Look..." He turned to face her, and led her to a row of chairs nearby. He gestured for them to sit, and Scully squinted her eyes in confusion, already unsettled about this entire instance. "I know there's something going on between the two of you, I'm not an idiot. I don't think it's necessary for either of you to jeopardize your careers unnecessarily. It hasn't been disclosed who Mulder was with Monday, and unless it gets to that point, it never needs to be."

She sat wordlessly, anxiety rising about the situation as it unfolded. She felt like an idiot for allowing herself to lose all inhibitions and give in to her desire for him, but she also didn't regret it. There were so many mixed emotions bouncing around inside of her, she was becoming overwhelmed. 

"What do we do now?" She finally said in a small whisper. Collins could sense the worry in her voice, no matter the efforts she made to mask it. 

"I'm going to go in and find out what information I can, maybe distract the rest of the team for a few minutes while Mulder sits alone in the interrogation room right over there." He said as he gestured with his cocked chin to the room across the hall. She flashed him a puzzled look, confused as to why he was offering his assistance. "He's become a good friend of mine over the years, even though he's a tenacious jerk 90% of the time. Plus, now he owes me a favor." Collins said jokingly. 

"Thank you." She said in a hushed voice. He just nodded as she flashed him a small smile. This investigation was becoming more complex by the minute. 

"You have about 5 minutes, after that I was never part of this." Collins said as he approached the conference room where the other agents were bustling around. She chuckled as she watched him walk away, knowing how crucial these next few minutes were. 

She nervously walked towards the interrogation room, placing her shaky hand on the doorknob. As she stepped into the dimly lit room, she saw Mulder's head hanging as he was cuffed to the table he was seated at. She licked her lips, remembering the last time she saw him, and attempted to hide the smirk growing on her face. 

"Looks like it's you who needs rescuing this time." She lightly teased as she took the seat at the table across from him. His head shot up, eyes gleaming at the sight of her. His moment of ecstasy in the hell he was going through quickly faded as realization settled in. 

"Scully, what are you doing here? I didn't tell them anything, you shouldn't be here." He said in a hushed tone, leaning in closer so only she could hear him. 

"Relax, I know. Collins is giving me 5 minutes to see you while he finds out what the hell is going on. Mind filling me in on your side of the story?" 

"I honestly don't know, they won't disclose anything other than Hahn telling me what I'm being held for. She alleged that I took her there Monday, and I wouldn't tell them where I was, it's none of their business. I'm not risking this." 

"Mulder, you're risking your career, your life! They said that she confessed to lying about Monday, but judging by the looks on everyone's faces, there's more they're not saying." 

"Do they honestly think I had anything to do with this?" 

"I don't know, I'm hoping to find out more as soon as Collins gets out of the meeting. I'll be back to see you." She said with a gentleness in her voice. She reached out to cover his hand with hers, and he smiled at the gesture. 

"As much as I would love to see you, it's probably not the best thing for you to come back. You're still undercover and the image of you visiting your professor in jail, currently accused for kidnapping another student, probably isn't the best decision." He said with a whispered voice. 

"Collins was right, you are a stubborn jackass." She said as a smirk touched her lips. He chuckled and shook his head, finding some solace in the fact that whatever happened wasn't completely ruining their newfound relationship. "I should probably go, my time is just about up." 

He wordlessly nodded and she began to stand up. He grasped onto her hand tighter and brought their joined hands to his lips, placing a small kiss on her palm. She caressed his face softly, and they exchanged silent sentiments with their eyes. 

Scully exited the room back into the main hallway and exhaled deeply, leaning her back against the wall. 

"That's generally how I feel when I talk to him, too." Collins said as he came walking from the conference room. She chuckled and tilted her head to face him. 

"How'd the meeting go?" She asked cautiously. He walked over closer to her, standing in her personal space so only she could hear what he had to say. 

"She admitted to lying about Monday night, after they put pressure on her by saying he had an alibi willing to testify. But-" He said with a heavy sigh. "She changed her story to say that she escaped from where he was holding her originally, and where we found her was just her hiding from him. We don't know why she insists on maintaining this story, but it's not looking too good." 

"That can't possibly hold up in court. There's holes in her story, they have to find something." 

"They're matching the dates she went missing to Mulder's schedule. So far, they've found one discrepancy, so we're hoping to find more. I wouldn't worry, I think she's just scared about whatever the truth really is." 

"Let me talk to her." Scully said forcefully. 

"I don't think that's the best idea, considering you're still supposed to be undercover." 

"I just think, maybe she'll open up to a female agent." 

"I'll see what I can manage, but I'm not promising anything. For now, maintain your cover, and you should probably stay away from the troublemaker in that room until we know more." He teased, hoping to shed some light in the darkness that shadowed over this case. 

"Thanks, I appreciate it. The sooner we can finish this, the sooner we - uh, everything can just go back to normal." She said bowing her head to hide the blush flooding her face. 

"Right..." He said with an amused smirk. She parted ways with him and headed back to the campus. 

She settled herself into her small dorm room, finally letting the emotions of the past day wash over her. She waited anxiously, because that's all she could do, wait. She pondered over the events that led up to this point, and knew she should have stayed detached as she initially swore she would. The next thought that followed brought a smile to her face, fading away the dried tears on her cheeks. She remembered back to their first date, and just the few nights ago they spent together in her bed. She instantly sobered, knowing she needed to do more than just sit there, feeling helpless. 

She made her way to the apartment where the rest of the guys had all made their way back to. Upon entry, she noticed that they had files strewn everywhere, trying to find something to clear one of their own. 

"Mind if I help?" She said in a small whisper. They all looked at her before glancing around at each other. She let out a heavy sigh. "I'm going crazy just waiting in my dorm, I need to do something." 

"Sure, maybe a fresh eye will help us find something." Edwards said as he exhaustedly threw a stack of papers on the table in front of him. 

"When did she say that she went missing?" Scully asked as she started sifting through the reports. 

"She was reported missing the Wednesday morning just after Johnson was arrested, but she said he took her Tuesday evening. She said-"

"Wait, that's not possible, he-" She paused, knowing she was giving herself up even more. She let out a heavy sigh. "He came to visit me after hours in the hospital. He wasn't there long, but I can't imagine he had time to kidnap a student and visit me on the way." She huffed. 

"Agent Scully, you do realize you're his only alibi for each specific day that Leslie is claiming. You're willing to risk that? We can find another way." Hahn explained carefully. 

"I know he won't give up the truth, even to save himself, so I'll do it for him. I'll go on record if I need to, but if you can convince her to cave again, then we won't need to resort to that." She said, not meeting their eyes. 

"She won't talk to any of us anymore, she's clammed up." Collins said annoyed. 

"Let me talk to her, I really think I can at least get to the root of whatever the hell she's hiding. We're at a loss, it's not like we have anything to lose at this point." She said, absolutely spent by this entire case. 

"We need you to keep your cover, in case there is someone else doing this." 

"Look, that was more of an opportunity for you to agree with me than it was a suggestion. I'm going to find a way to talk to her, and clear Mulder's name, whether you back me up or not." She said with finality as she stood, hands planted on her hips. Her eyebrow rose to dangerous heights, and she pursed her lips, daring them to challenge her.

They all three glanced between each other, knowing by the look in her eyes that it was best to keep their mouths shut. Collins finally sighed in resignation, now discovering she was just as stubborn as Mulder, and that meant they weren't going to win this argument. 

"We'll take you in to see her, but I'm only giving you 10 minutes, and then you're done. If nothing comes from it, we'll have to maintain surveillance on her, and make sure she doesn't speak to anyone who could blow your cover. This is going to get messier than it already is, and you need to be prepared for that." Collins explained thoroughly. 

"Let's go then." She said with a final nod, implying that she understood the risks. She gathered her belongings, and stormed out of the door with purpose. 

When Scully, Edwards and Collins arrived at the hospital that Leslie was staying at momentarily, they separated, keeping a lookout for Scully to have her brief meeting with the girl. She entered the room quietly, nervous about her first real interrogation, if that's even what this was. 

"Leslie, hi, I'm uh-" She began to stammer, nervousness flooding her mind.

"From my criminal psych class." She said as she took in Scully's appearance, noticing the professional look. "Or maybe not." 

"That doesn't matter, I just came to see how you were doing. You've definitely been through a lot from the rumors I've heard." She said distractedly as she picked up her chart. 

"Oh, uh, yeah, I guess you could say that." Leslie said nervously as she began to fidget with her blanket. 

"I can't imagine how terrifying it must have been to be held hostage against your will, especially by someone of authority." She said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. She finished reading through the chart, holding back her knowing smile by the contents it consisted of. "Oh wait, I do know what that's like." 

"Johnson, right. I'm sorry, I forgot you were taken, too." She answered in a small, embarrassed voice. She avoided meeting Scully's eyes, anxiety rising with each second.

"Look, I only have about 3 more minutes before my time in here is up, so let's just cut straight to the truth. What really happened, Leslie?" 

"I already told them, Professor Fox took me, and held me somewhere, before I escaped. It's pretty simple." She scoffed. 

"I wouldn't exactly call it simple, considering you're pregnant. You should probably hide your chart from those who can actually understand it. Let me guess, you got pregnant, panicked, and ran. I'm going to take a wild guess here and assume that your parents wouldn't have handled this news well." She paused, scoffing at the disbelief of the situation. "You heard about Johnson in the news, and found your escape. Why you would even have the audacity to name an innocent person, ruining not only his reputation, but possibly his life, is beyond me." She finished, composing herself. 

"I - I, you can't say anything. You're right, my parents would freak, and I'm here on an athletic scholarship. If I lose that, I lose everything. I ran, and didn't have a plan after that. The guy's an idiot, so he was no help to me. I'm sorry, I didn't mean for this to become so messed up." Leslie said as she broke down in tears.

Scully felt for the girl, and moved to stand beside her. She reached out and grasped her hand for comfort, letting her ride out her emotions. As angry as she felt, she was relieved to finally uncover the truth, helping Mulder, and indirectly herself. Leslie began to control her breathing again, and wiped the fresh tears from her cheeks. 

Collins knocked lightly before making his way slowly into the room. He approached cautiously, since the last thing he heard was the rise in Scully's voice. 

"We need to get going." He said, directing his attention at Scully before taking in Leslie's expression. He knew something happened in the short time he left them alone. "Everything okay?" 

"It will be, right Leslie?" Scully asked pointedly. She wanted to be tender in the difficult situation, but she knew she still had to maintain the seriousness of the event. 

Leslie looked at her nervously, fresh tears filling her eyes. She knew what she did was wrong, but she knew she would have never been able to maintain the lie. She just wordlessly nodded, and Scully let out a sigh of relief. 

"We should probably get someone in here to take her new statement." She said softly. Collins just smirked at her, impressed by the green agent standing before him. 

As one of the other agents came in to speak with Leslie, the others headed towards the precinct to wrap everything up. They were all pleased with the finality of the case, Scully more than others, she assumed. They were all told to wait in the conference room while Hannon finished sorting everything out. With the newest developments, everyone was beginning to piece everything together. 

Scully was getting antsy, waiting for Mulder's release, wondering what was taking so long. Hannon called the attention of the room, and she let out a heavy sigh as she took her seat. 

"Alright, I just got word from the agent at the hospital, and it seems like this case is finally over. As I'm sure most of you have heard, the most recent accusations were false, leading us on a wild goose chase. Again, special thanks to the agents on the inside, Agent Scully, Agent Davies and Agent Mulder." He said as he nodded towards the back of the room. Scully whipped her head around and saw him leaning against the back wall. It took everything in her to not throw herself into his arms, having to keep her distance these last few days. He met her eyes and smiled at her, both understanding what the closing of this case meant for them.

Hannon finished his speech, dismissing the room to resume their normal routines. As she jumped up from her seat, a few of the other agents congratulated her on her work with the girl, getting her to confess to the truth. Just as she made her way through the crowd, she noticed that Mulder had disappeared. She furrowed her brow in confusion, and ran into the hall in search for him. There was no sign of him, and her stomach began to turn, thinking something had changed between them so suddenly. 

She closed her eyes in slight sorrow, allowing her shoulders to slump. She began to walk through the somewhat empty corridor, so lost in her thoughts that the indistinct chattering happening around her sounded like white noise. She was startled when she was yanked gently by her arm into a dark room. 

Before she could register what was happening, she felt the soft, luscious, familiar lips enclose on hers, and melted into the embrace. She blindly reached up to cradle her hand on his face, pulling him in deeper by the back of his head. He rested his hands firmly on her hips, and leaned in closer, leaving no gap between them. He finally broke apart, letting his mouth reluctantly leave hers. Both of their eyes had adjusted enough to the darkness to see the matching smiles bestowed on both of their faces. 

"We really need to stop meeting like this." She teased in a breathy whisper. He chuckled and pecked her again on the lips. 

"I'm not really complaining." He said in a sultry voice as he leaned down to place a lingering kiss on her neck. She hummed at the contact, able to fully enjoy the moment, now that everything was finally over.

"I'm not either, but you do know we don't have to sneak around anymore right?" She said leaning back from his embrace to give him a challenging look. He flashed her a sly grin before pecking her on the lips again. 

"Yes, but I didn't believe in myself to wait until later to do this." He said as his hand crept to just above her knee where her skirt ended. He began to slowly trace the inside of her thigh, hiking the skirt up in response.

"Mulder..." She warned, trying to mask the arousal in her voice. It didn't matter, he could see it in her eyes.

"What?" He asked, feigning innocence as his fingers reached the sensitive spot on the inside of her thigh, just below her center. He could feel her breath catch in her throat, and smiled at his effect on her. She was melting inside, heat rising through her body as she was losing all her inhibitions with every feather soft stroke of his fingers. 

"Let's, uh, we can go back to my place." She said in a heavy voice, her mouth lingering just before his. He grinned and nodded wordlessly as she wet her lips before biting on her bottom one, masking the satisfaction so evidently shining through her eyes. 

He removed his hand from under her skirt slowly, never breaking their gaze. He chastely kissed her again before grabbing her hand and leading her out into the main hallway. They managed to sneak out of the room unnoticed, before being stopped by a voice exiting the conference room. 

"Oh, good. Agent Mulder, Agent Scully, you haven't left yet. We'd like to discuss a new case with you, see if you're interested." Collins said with an amused smirk on his face. He watched as their hands disconnected and she subtly made adjustments to her disheveled appearance. 

"Uh, sure." He answered as they exchanged confused looks between each other. They slowly crept back to the conference room, unsure about what to expect. As they approached, they could see Hannon pacing on the phone, and assumed a spot at the table. 

"Sorry to bring you back so soon, but we think with the strong teamwork displayed on this case, you'd be he perfect group to send in on another undercover assignment." Hannon said with an exhausted sigh as he disconnected his call. "There's been a series of rapes in a small community, and there were no connections between them until this last victim. If you're interested, you'd be integrated into the community, get to know the people, and hopefully we can find out who's doing this." He said with a question in his voice. 

He looked expectantly towards everyone at the table, and Mulder and Scully caught each other's gaze. He shrugged and Scully nodded in response. They exchanged looks with Collins and Edwards, the other two part of the meeting, and they all came to a silent, mutual agreement. 

"Great, here are your covers, I want you to know them, live them, because you'll be there until this is completely solved. Enjoy your weekend, we'll see you in Connecticut on Monday. You'll be contacted with the travel details sometime tomorrow." Hannon said with dismissal as he handed the individual files to each agent. 

They all read over the briefing of the active case, and winced at the gruesome details of the specific rapes. Scully let out a shaky sigh, still exhausted from her first active case, but excited for the experience she was getting. Edwards and Collins made their parting pleasantries, finally heading home to rest before they needed to leave again. 

As Scully and Mulder strolled outside, they both were glancing over their new personas. 

"So, your place?" He said, finally breaking the comfortable silence. She chuckled and closed her file, forgetting about work until it was necessary again. 

"Well, that offer is still on the table." She said teasingly. "It might be just what I need before throwing myself into this next case." 

"And who might I have the pleasure to make an acquaintance with this time around?" He leered at her. 

"Uh, that would be Laura Chapman." She said distractedly, reading through her file. When she finally looked up, she noticed the goofy grin on his face, and chuckled in amusement. "What?" 

"It's nice to meet you, _Mrs_. Laura Chapman. I'm John Chapman." He said as he wagged his eyebrows at her. "Let's go play house, honey." 


End file.
